Genesis Open Power Rankings: Top ten players to ride with at Riviera

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA - AUGUST 20: Doc Redman and Doug Ghim play on the 10th green during the second round of the USGA U.S. Amateur Championship 36 hole final as Doug Ghim looks on on August 20, 2017 at the The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

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PACIFIC PALISADES, CA – FEBRUARY 19: Jordan Spieth walks across the 14th hole during the final round at the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 19, 2017 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

Jordan Spieth should feel comfortable this week at a course like Riviera that rewards shotmaking. Few are better at it than the 24-year-old Texan.

Past results at the Genesis Open show Spieth’s not far from winning here. He contended for all four rounds en route to a T4 in 2015 to accompany a T12 in 2014 and a T22 in 2017.

The poa annua greens are not always easy to hold at Riviera. A good short game and a sense of resolve are crucial to stay in the hunt.

“Not only do you have to be in the fairway,” Spieth said in 2015, “you have to be in the correct side of the fairway just to be able to hold (the greens) on some of these holes.”

Spieth’s striking the ball well to sit at second on the PGA Tour in greens in regulation, but his putter is still slumping (193rd strokes gained). Some may stay away from Spieth this week, but he’s pieced together modest results in 2018.

He finished ninth at the Tournament of Champions, T18 at the Sony Open and T20 at Pebble Beach. The putter can’t get any worse, and it’s hard to envision it holding Spieth back for much longer.

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