2024 Genesis Championship: 5 Biggest Bets for $4M DP World Tour Event

Phase two of the DP World 2024 season will conclude this week with the Genesis Championship. As the Back 9 gets over on Sunday, all the players will be in for the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex. This eventually means that this weekend will be one of the most thrilling ones of the European Tour. The $4 million DP World Tour event is scheduled from October 24 to October 27 at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon. 

This year marks only the second edition of the event of sorts. Earlier, it used to be the Korea Championship on the DP World Tour. Last year, Pablo Larrazabal won, setting the tournament record at 12-under-par. Due to the recent strategic alliance of KPGA and DPWT, both events have been merged, and Larrazabal and Sanghyun Park will both be defending champions for the collaborated event this year. Apart from them, who are the top players in the field according to the official website of the DP World Tour?

Tom Kim

The 2024 Genesis Championship will be the most exciting event for Tom Kim. He will be teeing it up in his home ground for the first time in over 2 years, and that eventually makes him the fan favorite. The home favorite finished in a tie for fifth at the 41st GS Caltex Maekyung Open in May 2022, two months before truly announcing himself on the world stage by finishing third at the Genesis Scottish Open.

“It’s going to be really fun,” Kim said about his appearance in Korea. “I don’t think I’ve played in front of a home crowd for two-and-a-half years, ever since I’ve been on the PGA Tour with the schedule and stuff, but I’m really excited. It’s going to be really fun and I can’t wait for Thursday. All I want is a chance on Sunday, I feel like that would be really cool because I haven’t been back since 2022 so hopefully, I can get my game together and have a run.”

After that, he managed to bag three PGA Tour victories, made appearances at the Presidents Cup as a member of the International Team, and also represented his country at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Although he is enjoying his time on the Tour, he is yet to grab a win this year, and well, the Genesis Championship might be a shot at it.

Sanghyun Park

The defending champion of the Korean Championship, Sanghyum Park, will enter the field against some of the best players from Korea and other places. He might not have a great name in the golf world for other victories, but the Republic of Korea resident sure has amazing form on his home tour. The 12X KPGA Tour champion was tied for the third position last year at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club and finished as the runner-up twice on the Korean Tour this year. This makes it all the more reliable for him to stand out amid the star-studded field.

Joost Luiten

Joost Luiten is one of the three wildcard entries and is among the favorites. He is currently ranked 65 on the DP World Tour list, having appeared in twenty-four events so far, making cuts in seventeen of them. The 6X DP World Tour Champion has landed in the top 10 in only one event this year and is looking for a victory this year. Now the question is, with so many players from the top of the list, will the wild card be able to shine and clinch the trophy? It remains to be seen. 

Byeong Hun An

Apart from Tom Kim, Byeong Hun An is the only player from the OWGR top 50 to be teeing it up at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club this weekend. The World No. 34 will be giving a tough fight to Tom Kim, both of whom have represented South Korea at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As the Genesis Championship marks the end of the Back 9 on the Race to Dubai, players vie to secure their places in the DP World Tour Play-Offs, and so will Byeong Hun An this weekend.

He has bagged five top-10 finishes this season, which includes a T2 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, where he lost in a playoff. “There’s something truly special about playing in front of your home fans—their energy and support are unmatched, and it always gives me an extra boost,” he said. 

Nicolai Højgaard

Nicolai Hojgaard will be teeing it up for the first time in Korea. “I’m looking forward to coming back to Asia and playing in Korea for the first time,” he said. “I’ve heard amazing things about the country, and hopefully I can be in the mix come Sunday. It’s great to have these opportunities at an exciting time on the DP World Tour, with a lot to play for,” said the excited golf pro.

The 23-year-old player from Denmark has appeared in eighteen events on the PGA Tour so far and has managed to make cuts in twelve of them. He was only able to secure the runner-up position at the Farmers Insurance Open, and apart from that, he has not been able to bag any top-10 finishes. He makes the journey to the Far East following a brace of top-20 finishes in France and Spain, so he may feel his game is starting to warm up again.

Who do you think will take home the trophy at the second edition of the Genesis Championship? Share your predictions with us in the comments section below!