RADIO
The WM Phoenix Open is well known as the biggest party on the PGA Tour schedule, but whatever the proverbial line is, it feels as though this year's edition drunkenly stumbled across it, as multiple weather delays and record-breaking crowds led to things getting testy not just on the infamous 16th hole, but across the entire golf course. While the viral antics of fans will be something that tournament organizers will try to figure out by next year, the actual golf at TPC Scottsdale delivered - as it always seems to do - with an exciting battle down the stretch that led to a sudden-death playoff between Nick Taylor and Charley Hoffman.
While most sports fans probably clicked over to the Super Bowl, Taylor was busy putting on a clinic in a high-pressure situation by making birdies on three of his final four holes in regulation to force a playoff with the veteran Hoffman and then making birdies on each of the sudden-death holes to capture the WMPO title. In what's been an otherwise-sleepy season up to this point, Phoenix provided a very welcome jolt as we head to Riviera for one of the best events on the schedule, the Genesis Invitational.
Horse For The Course is an article that highlights players in this week's field with elite course history and is part of our free PGA DFS content here at RotoBaller. For my favorite DFS plays of the week check out my Core Four article here at RotoBaller every Wednesday. It's part of our amazing PGA Premium package that includes an all-new PGA Research Station, Lineup Builder & Optimizer, and some of the best articles in the PGA DFS industry! You can sign up now using Promo Code: NICE for an extra discount at checkout!
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2024 Genesis Invitational
We go from one of the schedule's wildest events directly to one of its classier affairs, as we hop from Phoenix to Los Angeles for the Genesis Invitational. It's not as if the Genesis needed much help being an "important" event - as it routinely draws one of the stronger fields of the year thanks to the tradition of the event and its iconic Riviera Country Club setting - but this will be another of the PGA Tour's "Signature Events".
If a legendary golf course and a star-studded field aren't enough to grab your attention, let me remind you that an old guy by the name of Tiger Woods will be teeing it up this week. It will be the legend's first start of 2024 and will undoubtedly add buzz to an event that's already one of the best on the schedule.
After his offseason jump to LIV, defending Genesis champion Jon Rahm won't be in attendance this week. This prestigious title will be up for grabs with a field full of the world's best golfers including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa, and the aforementioned Mr. Woods.
You can also find out who the smart money is on by checking out Spencer Aguiar's PGA DFS: Vegas Report every week. And be sure to read all of our other top-notch weekly PGA DFS articles to help you win big!
The Course: Riviera Country Club
Par 71 - 7,322 Yards, Greens: Poa, Designed By: George Thomas
Riviera Country Club is a legendary track and one of the classiest courses on the PGA Tour schedule. Its Hollywood history only adds to the club's intrigue. Opened in 1927, Riviera was an instant classic and has long been a favorite of L.A.'s celebrities and golf course aficionados.
In addition to all the history, Riviera still stands out as a great golf course in the modern era. The 315-yard, drivable Par-4 10th hole is one of the best on the PGA Tour. It is 'risk/reward' at its finest and offers players a chance to drive the small green for an eagle opportunity. However, a miss on 10 can quickly turn disastrous, as shots from around the green are extremely tricky.
Riviera places an emphasis on ball-striking and shot-making, especially from 175+ yards out. Golfers will often be forced to use less-than-driver off the tee this week and will face multiple doglegs. I will focus on ball strikers that have previous experience at Riviera this week.
Recent Genesis Winners & Scoring Info
- 2023: Jon Rahm (-17)
- 2022: Joaquin Niemann (-19)
- 2021: Max Homa (-19)
- 2020: Adam Scott (-11)
- 2019: J.B. Holmes (-14)
The Horse
Justin Thomas
- Event Scoring Average: 70.16 (Nine career starts)
- Notable Course History: T20 (2023), 6th ('22), 2nd ('19), T9 ('18)
- DraftKings Price: $9,100
Though Justin Thomas has logged three career top-10s at Riviera Country Club, his Genesis track record isn't as flawless as some other players we'll discuss in this week's article - he missed the cut in the 2020 & 2021 editions. But when we factor in Thomas' white-hot start to 2024, the wobbly recent form of some other Riviera course horses, and his natural fit for this iconic layout, it all adds up to the two-time major champion making a lot of sense this week.
Justin Thomas went back in time to find more success on the greens last week. ⏳
Here's how it went: https://t.co/OvlcXoBREm pic.twitter.com/J0mrhJDmwK
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 12, 2024
We're all familiar with Thomas' 2023 struggles, though his output this year is quickly making last year's shortcomings feel like a distant memory. He comes in off a rock-solid T12 in Phoenix where he gained an impressive 6.9 strokes T2G. It's just the latest in what's been a return to form in 2024. JT has now gained strokes T2G in every start of the year and is averaging +5.2 SG: T2G over his last five tournaments.
The Ponies
Max Homa
- Event Scoring Average: 69.38 (Seven career starts)
- Notable Course History: 2nd ('23), T10 ('22), Win ('21), T5 ('20)
- DraftKings Price: $9,800
From a pure course history perspective, few can rival Max Homa's monster five-year run at Riv. The L.A. kid has been downright dominant in his hometown, logging a win in the 2021 Genesis, as well as three additional top-10 finishes in the elite event since 2019. Homa's +47.81 total strokes gained in this event dwarfs his nearest competitor. Zooming out, he's been an absolute beast on the West Coast with four of his six PGA Tour wins coming in the state of California.
“I’m gonna win it again — and be able to do it in front of all these people.”
Max Homa got emotional after finishing second at the Genesis. Two minutes well worth your time: pic.twitter.com/FEtsYoCNzu
— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) February 20, 2023
After a white-hot fall season that included a November win at the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, Homa appeared to be cruising to kick off 2024 with top-15 results in both the Sentry and the Farmers. However, he has looked human in his last two outings, losing strokes at both Pebble Beach and last week at Phoenix. Despite his less-than-inspiring statistical output over the last two weeks, the smart money is on Homa righting the ship this week on a Riviera layout where he's been nothing less than spectacular in the past.
Wyndham Clark
- Event Scoring Average: 69.83 (Four career starts)
- Notable Course History: T33 ('23), T8 ('21), T17 ('20)
- DraftKings Price: $8,300
Over the past year, the reigning U.S. Open champion and recent winner of the Pebble Beach "Signature Event" has shown himself to be the sort of player who plays his best golf in the biggest spots. Few events outside of the major championships carry as much weight as the Genesis at Riviera, a George Thomas-designed layout that shares many similarities with the Thomas-designed LACC North Course where Clark captured his first major title last year.
234 yards ➡️ 4 feet 🦅@Wyndham_Clark stays hot. pic.twitter.com/qHp2U2iuG8
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 9, 2024
His track record at Riviera itself is nothing to sneeze at. Aside from a wonky DQ in 2022, Clark has been quietly excellent at Riv with a T8 in 2021 standing as the highlight. He lit up the Poa Annua greens at Pebble (as well as at LACC last year) and the unique putting surface has historically been his best (+.74 average strokes gained on Poa). We also shouldn't overlook Clark's power off the tee (sixth in field in Driving Distance) in an event that's routinely been won by some of golf's longest hitters over the years.
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Adam Scott
- Event Scoring Average: 69.73 (15 career starts)
- Notable Course History: T4 ('22), Win ('20), T7 ('19), T2 ('16), T2 ('06), Win ('05)
- DraftKings Price: $8,200
It seems as though the sweet-swingin' ageless wonder fits any golf course well, but Riviera is arguably the U.S. course on which he's found his most success throughout his illustrious career. Fittingly, the 43-year-old Aussie's timeless game has translated beautifully to one of America's most iconic layouts, as Scott has notched two victories to go with his impressive 69.73 career scoring average at Riviera.
A week to remember at Riviera.
Adam Scott earns his 14th PGA Tour win at the Genesis Invitational after a final-round 70. pic.twitter.com/7W0BQLzDcw
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 16, 2020
Scott has been low-key excellent in limited action this year. On the heels of gaining 4.2 strokes T2G in the rain-shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the veteran recorded an under-the-radar T8 in Phoenix last week thanks to white-hot iron play that enabled him to gain 6.5 strokes on the field on Approach. Scotty now heads to a Riv layout on which he's found so much past success with his picture-perfect swing completely dialed in.
Will Zalatoris
- Event Scoring Average: 69.71 (Four career starts)
- Notable Course History: T4 ('23), T26 ('22), T15 ('21)
- DraftKings Price: $7,900
As he's worked his way back into action following a back procedure that forced him to miss almost the entirety of 2023, I've tried to exercise patience with Will Zalatoris. That said, for the first time in a long time, I think Willie Z is in serious consideration this week. He's been tremendous in his three professional starts at Riviera - not to mention a trip to the Round of 16 in the 2017 U.S. Am held at Riv - most recently recording a T4 in last year's edition of the Genesis shortly before his season was abruptly ended due to a back injury.
Will Zalatoris posts a career-best final round score of 64 at The Genesis Invitational
Previous low was 65 (3 times), most recently at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions (T11)
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 19, 2023
After some understandably rough, knock-the-rust-off outings at the Hero and Sony where he looked very much like a guy who was coming off back surgery and hadn't played competitive golf in nearly a year, Zalatoris has looked much more like himself in his two California starts, posting a respectable T34 at the AmEx and an encouraging T13 in the Farmers at Torrey Pines. I've long thought that Riviera is the perfect layout for his majestic long-iron play and his mark of +10.2 SG: T2G in last year's edition is all the evidence I need.
Course History Quick Hits
- Viktor Hovland ($10,000) - Top-five finishes in two of last three Genesis starts.
- Collin Morikawa ($9,500) - Finished T6-T2 in last two Genesis Invitational starts.
- Cameron Young ($8,500) - T20-T2 in two career starts at Riviera.
- Patrick Rodgers ($6,800) - Streak of five straight T30-or-better finishes between 2017-21.
- Matt Kuchar ($6,400) - Has made the cut in 15/17 career starts at Riviera.
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