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PGA: Betting the 2024 Genesis Invitational Open

Betting the Genesis Invitational

The West coast swing in the US comes to a close this week in Los Angeles, as the always entertaining Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles kicks off on Thursday.

The Genesis Invitational marks the conclusion of the 2024 West Coast swing, boasting yet another star-studded field. Leading the pack is World Number 1 Scottie Scheffler, joined by golfing heavyweights like Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Brian Harman. With 9 of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking gracing Los Angeles this week, the tournament promises to be action-packed, exciting golf for the incredible galleries we’ve grown accustomed to seeing at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Let’s take a look at all of the odds and then break down the field, the course, and some picks to win this week!

2024 Genisis Invitational Odds

Scottie Scheffler +650
Rory McIlroy +1000
Viktor Hovland +1400
Xander Schauffele +1600
Justin Thomas +1600
Collin Morikawa +1600
Patrick Cantlay +1800
Max Homa +1800
Ludvig Aberg +1800
Sam Burns +2000
Jordan Spieth +2500
Adam Scott +2800
Tony Finau +3000
Wyndham Clark +3500
Tommy Fleetwood +3500
Sahith Theegala +3500
Matt Fitzpatrick +3500
Cameron Young +3500
J.T. Poston +4500
Will Zalatoris +5000
Tom Kim +5000
Si Woo Kim +5000
Jason Day +5000
Nicolai Hojgaard +5500
Keegan Bradley +5500
Byeong Hun An +5500
Sungjae Im +6000
Russell Henley +6000
Eric Cole +6000
Cam Davis +6000
Kurt Kitayama +6500
Hideki Matsuyama +7000
Beau Hossler +7500
Sepp Straka +8000
Nick Taylor +8000
Denny McCarthy +8000
Corey Conners +8000
Chris Kirk +8000
Harris English +9000
Emiliano Grillo +9000
Adam Hadwin +9000
Tom Hoge +10000
Luke List +10000
Brian Harman +10000
Adam Schenk +10000
Taylor Moore +11000
Patrick Rodgers +11000
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +11000
Taylor Montgomery +13000
Rickie Fowler +13000
Andrew Putnam +13000
Adam Svensson +13000
Lucas Glover +15000
Kevin Yu +15000
Charley Hoffman +15000
Brendon Todd +15000
Ben Griffin +15000
Tiger Woods +18000
Matt Kuchar +18000
Mackenzie Hughes +20000
Sam Ryder +25000
Nick Hardy +25000
Nick Dunlap +25000
Lee Hodges +25000
Gary Woodland +25000
Alex Smalley +25000
Seamus Power +30000
J.J. Spaun +30000
Grayson Murray +35000
Chase Johnson +250000

Previous Winners

  • 2023: Jon Rahm 65-68-65-69 -17/267
  • 2022: Joaquin Niemann 63-63-68-71 -19/265
  • 2021: Max Homa 66-70-70-66 -12/272
  • 2020: Adam Scott 72-64-67-70 -11/273
  • 2019: J.B. Holmes 63-69-68-70 -14/270
  • 2018: Bubba Watson 68-70-65-69 -12/272
  • 2017: Dustin Johnson 63-69-68-70 -14/270

Breaking Down Riviera Country Club

Riviera Country Club, also known as ‘Hogan’s Alley,’ presents a formidable challenge to golfers with its classic design and demanding layout. Stretching 7,322 yards with a Par 71, this old-style course features tight, tree-lined fairways and fast, undulating greens averaging 7,500 square feet. The green complexes, often surrounded by runoff areas, require precision and finesse from approach shots.

Nicknamed after Ben Hogan for his mastery of the course, Riviera favors longer hitters, although finding fairways is a daunting task. The penalty for missing the fairway is not necessarily thick rough but rather blocked approach shots due to the abundance of trees. Deep bunkers strategically placed throughout the course add to the challenge, emphasizing the importance of fairway positioning.

Year after year, Riviera ranks among the toughest courses on the PGA Tour, particularly in terms of hitting greens in regulation. Putting, especially on the fast Poa Annua greens, presents a formidable test, particularly from within 10 feet.

Designed by George C. Thomas and William P. Bell and opened in 1927 in Pacific Palisades, California, Riviera Country Club is highly regarded and consistently ranks as one of the premier venues on the PGA Tour schedule. In addition to hosting the Genesis Invitational, it will serve as the venue for significant events such as the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2032 U.S. Open, and the golf competition in the 2028 Olympic Games.

The Return of Tiger (And Why To Lay Off Betting Him)

The buzz has already begun in LA as Tiger Woods is set to make his competitive comeback at the Genesis Invitational this week. This marks his first official PGA Tour appearance since withdrawing from last year’s Masters tournament due to health issues, which later led to fusion surgery on his right ankle.

Having largely sat out the 2023 season, Woods returned to professional golf in November at the Hero World Challenge, an unofficial PGA Tour event with a limited field and no cut. Subsequently, he teamed up with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship, a 36-hole event featuring tour pros and family members competing as two-player teams.

Woods’ last appearance at Riviera saw him finish at one-under-par after four rounds, landing him in a share of 45th place. Now, as he prepares to tee it up once again at this prestigious venue, golf fans eagerly anticipate his performance and hope for a successful return to competitive play.

And as exciting as the return of Tiger to the PGA tour is, I just can’t recommend betting on him, even if it’s just a sprinkle in case he shocks the world. The reality is that Tiger has just never been especially great at Riviera, even when he was the most dominant golfer in the world. Here is a list of his finishes at Riviera.

Year Tiger’s Finish            
1992 Missed cut
1993 Missed cut
1997 20
1999 2
2000 18
2001 13
2003 5
2004 7
2005 13
2006 W/D
2017-18 Missed cut
2018-19 15
2019-20 68

Picks To Win

Sam Burns +2000

Sam Burns has been in exceptional form during the early stages of the season in California and Arizona. He secured a 6th-place finish at the American Express held at PGA West, followed by a 10th-place finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Last week, at the Waste Management Phoenix Open held at TPC Scottsdale, Burns impressed with a 3rd-place finish.

Burns, at just 27 years old, boasts an impressive record of five PGA Tour victories. But his first career victory almost came at this very event in 2021. Although he had yet to secure a victory at the time, Burns was a significant contender during that event. He surged ahead with rounds of 64 and 66 on Thursday and Friday, claiming a commanding 5-shot lead heading into the weekend. Despite maintaining a 2-shot lead going into Sunday, Burns narrowly missed out on the playoff with a final round of 69, falling just one shot short.

Now, with five victories under his belt as well as a Ryder Cup, he returns to Riviera in excellent form and a ton of experience and understanding of what it takes to win on tour.

Sahith Theegala +3500

Sahith Theegala’s game seems tailor-made for Riviera Country Club’s classical layout.  The 26-year-old Californian, currently ranked 20th in the world, has been excellent on this West Coast in his short career. A product of nearby Pepperdine University, Theegala was excellent last year on the West Coast swing as he secured a 3rd-place finish at the Phoenix Open and a 6th-place finish at the Fortinet Championship. He impressed with a 4th-place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open, a course very similar to Riviera, and another 6th-place finish at Riviera Country Club. He then clinched his first PGA Tour title at the Fortinet Championship, held at Napa’s short, old-style, tree-lined course.

In 2024, Theegala has continued to excel, finishing 2nd at The Sentry on Maui and 5th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open last week, a finish he was a bit disappointed in because he put himself in contention to win and made a few mistakes late. Notably, his driving has been particularly effective since the Travelers Championship in June, consistently gaining strokes. His overall game from the fairway onwards has always been of high quality, marked by precise approaches, a deft chipping game, and a putting stroke well-suited to Poa Annua greens.

He has a real chance to contend this week, and I feel very confident in his ability to give us a shot or some hedging options this weekend.

Wyndham Clark +3500

Wyndham Clark appears to be a strong contender for success at Riviera Country Club this week. His past performances in Los Angeles, particularly his victory at the 2023 U.S. Open on the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club, highlight his comfort and capability on similar courses designed by George Thomas.

Clark has shown consistent performance at The Genesis Invitational, with finishes of 17th (2020), 8th (2021), and 33rd (2023). Over his last three appearances, he has averaged a score of -5 and finished, on average, in 19th place. His impressive statistics in Strokes Gained on Approach and Tee to Green further emphasize his proficiency on the course. Additionally, Clark’s powerful driving ability, although sometimes lacking accuracy, complements his streaky putting, making him a well-rounded competitor.

Looking At a Longshot

Kurt Kitayama +6500

Kurt Kitayama certainly has longer odds, and he’s probably only worth a sprinkle to win here, but he could very well compete this week at Riviera, especially given his proficiency on tougher courses where the penalty for missing fairways is less severe. He’s actually been excellent on challenging courses when you look at his third-place finish at the Honda Classic and second-place finishes at the Mexico Open, Scottish Open, and CJ Cup in 2022.

Kitayama’s breakout year in 2023, highlighted by his victory at Bay Hill and his sixth-place finish at the PGA Championship held at the classical Oak Hill, shows just how capable he is on traditional-style courses like Riviera.

As a native of Northern California, Kitayama is well-acquainted with Poa Annua greens, which could give him an added advantage. His recent eighth-place finish at TPC Scottsdale suggests that he is carrying momentum into the Genesis Invitational, with his sights set on defending his title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the coming weeks.

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