2024 Genesis Invitational: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money and Major Details

Clear up your weekend plans because Tiger Woods is making his official comeback at Riviera GC. The host of the Genesis Invitational will be playing his first official PGA Tour event of this season, which will start on February 15 and conclude on February 18. The invitational is the first player-hosted signature event that will have a limited field and an elevated purse.

The third signature event, unlike prior events, will have a 36-hole cut, and from the 71-player field, only the top 50 and ties with players within 10 strokes of the leader will play the weekend. And of course, only one will come out victorious and take home a hefty sum! And the five who we believe have the best chance to do so are:

The top five contenders to emerge victorious at the Riviera GC

1. Max Homa: When he first started the 2024 season, Max Homa carded two back-to-back top-15 finishes at The Sentry (T14) and the Farmers Insurance Open (T14). Moreover, since the 2020 season, the 6-time PGA Tour winner’s run at Riviera CC has been nothing but awe-striking. Homa was T5 in 2020, winning the Invitational in the following season, and T10 and T2 in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Although the last two events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (T66) and the WM Phoenix Open (MC), were not as out of the ordinary, Homa had won the Genesis Invitational once, and he has the potential to do it again at his home ground despite the two performances that were hindered by the weather.

2. Scottie Scheffler: The world number 1 is in great form. In the last four starts on the PGA Tour, Scottie Scheffler’s record looked something like this: T5 at the Sentry, T17 at the American Express, T6 at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and T3 at Scottsdale, only two strokes away from the lead. Statistically, Scheffler is 1st on the green of regulation on the PGA Tour and third on SG around the greens, and coupled with better putting, he will not let anybody take the Genesis Invitational trophy easily.

3. Xander Schauffele: Started his 2024 PGA Tour schedule at the Kapalua Plantation course with a T10 finish and has had the top 10 finishes except at Pebble Beach. At the AmEx, with 27 under 261, Schauffele was only two strokes away from earning his eighth career victory at T3. Moreover, at the Farmers Insurance Open, he showcased another exceptional number at T10. Will this time on Riviera, Schauffele end his 8 year-long drought? He may surely do so.

4. Sam Burns: This season, Sam Burns is coming off three top-10s in the last three events, although the first signature event was not as solid as others. The best finish was at the WM Phoenix Open, where Burns was 18 under and tied for third. The events before that were T10 at Pebble Beach and T6 at La Quinta. Moreover, Burns had come close to winning the Silver Trophy at Riviera in 2021 but settled for a solo third. The momentum may propel him to the winner’s podium this time.

5. Collin Morikawa: In the last three starts, Collin Morikawa has had two top 20s and one missed cut. He opted out of the People’s Open, but at Pebble Beach, Morikawa finished at T14. At the Sentry, the 27-year-old golfer was in the fifth spot. This will be the fifth appearance of the 6-time PGA Tour winner at Riviera, the last two finishing as runner-up in 2022 and T6 in 2023. This may be the second victory in the last five months and the seventh career win for Morikawa.

Prize money and the defending champion of the 2024 Genesis Invitational

Just like the previous signature events, the Genesis Invitational will also have a $20 million prize purse where the winner will get a 20% cut, or $3.6 million. Moreover, there will also be 700 FedExCup points up for grabs. Among the fields are last week’s winner at TPC Scottsdale, Nick Taylor, Viktor Hovland making his start in 2024, former champion Adam Scott, and many more.

Read More: Tiger Woods Indecisive About Caddie; Hires Veteran for the Genesis Invitational, as Per Reports

Defending Champion: The defending champion is missing from the player’s field this year! In 2023, Jon Rahm won the event, and now he has moved to LIV Golf in December. Following that, just like with all the other defectors, the PGA Tour suspended his membership. The Spaniard has since expressed his wish to play in the PGA Tour events and defend his many 2023 titles, but in vain!

Fun fact 1: The last two champions of the Genesis Invitational have gone to LIV Golf; before Rahm in 2022, it was Joaquin Niemann who won the event.

Fun Fact 2: Interestingly, Tiger Woods has never won the Genesis Invitational, and although he is not among the likeliest to win, the 82-time PGA Tour winner may yet do the unthinkable. At the end of the day, he is Tiger Woods after all; hence, never say never.

The event will be the seventh stop before the PGA Tour visits the Navel of the Moon next week. Out of the top five presented, who are your top picks? Or is it someone else entirely? Tell us in the comments!

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