2021 Genesis Invitational: PGA Tour Betting Odds
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson is favoured on the golf odds.
This tournament was rebranded the Genesis Invitational last year, and invitationals are a bit more exclusive with fields of 120 instead of the usual 156 (still a 36-hole cut). Purses are also a bigger. This event is run by the Tiger Woods Foundation, so Tiger would normally be playing, but he’s still sidelined following another back surgery and it’s not clear when he might return. Everyone assumes no later than The Masters, but Woods surely would want to get at least one tournament under his belt before Augusta. This is a very rare event Tiger has never won; his first PGA Tour event as an amateur was in this event in 1992 at age 16. He did finish runner-up twice.
The tournament dates to 1926 and Riviera is often called “Hogan’s Alley” as Ben Hogan won this tournament three times as well as the 1948 U.S. Open there. Riviera also will host the 2028 Summer Olympics golf competition. It’s a par 71 at around 7,320 yards. The 10th hole is a very drivable par 4 at 315 yards but it features a very small green set at an angle. The course record in an official event is a 61.
The defending champion is Aussie Adam Scott, who finished at 11-under 273 and two ahead of Scott Brown, Matt Kuchar and Sung-hoon Kang. Scott, Kuchar and Rory McIlroy all were tied entering the final round, but while Scott shot 70, Kuchar shot 72 and McIlroy 73. Scott was the fourth 54-hole leader/co-leader to win in the past five years. Americans had won the previous eight years.
Scott also won in 2005 in a playoff but technically it’s not an official Tour win because the event was shortened to 36 holes by bad weather. He also finished runner-up in 2006 and 2016 and is +3000 this week.
Genesis Invitational Golf Betting Odds
Johnson (+550) was originally going to play last week at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am but withdrew last Monday night. He played two weeks ago on the European Tour and won in Saudi Arabia. Johnson won the Genesis Invitational in 2017 by five shots. He also has two runner-up finishes here and a handful of other Top 10s.
Spain’s Jon Rahm is +1200 as is Northern Ireland’s McIlroy. Rahm’s best result in two stops at this tournament was a T9 two years ago. McIlroy has been Top 5 the past two years.
Justin Thomas (+1400), Xander Schauffele (+1400), Bryson DeChambeau (+1600) and Patrick Cantlay (+1800) round out the favourites. None have won here. Cantlay finished third Sunday at Pebble Beach. Daniel Berger won the tournament with an eagle on the 18th Sunday and is +2800 this week, but he doesn’t have a good track record at Riviera.
A Canadian has won here twice and they were both Mike Weir, going back-to-back in 2003-04. Last year, Adam Hadwin finished T26, while Nick Taylor, Corey Conners and Roger Sloan missed the cut. Conners is +10000, Hadwin +15000, Mackenzie Hughes +20000 and Taylor +25000.
Genesis Invitational Golf Predictions
Take Johnson and three-time winner Bubba Watson for Top 10s, but McIlroy is the winner.