Pro Golf Now
Fansided

Genesis Open: Power ranking the top 10 at Riviera

By Mike Randleman

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: Spectators look on as Phil Mickelson putts on the 18th green during the final round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 18, 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: Spectators look on as Phil Mickelson putts on the 18th green during the final round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 18, 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 11
Next
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA – FEBRUARY 18: Tony Finau reacts after making par on the eighth green during the final round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 18, 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA – FEBRUARY 18: Tony Finau reacts after making par on the eighth green during the final round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 18, 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

It took a few tries, but Tony Finau got the hang of Riviera at last year’s Genesis Open. The big hitter has played this event each year since 2015 and went T56-MC-MC.

Clearly his overall game has elevated in the past couple years to make him a top-10 caliber player in the world, so it makes sense he found his stride at Riv.

Finau fired 66-71-68-69 to finish T2 and contend for all 72 holes. He finished just two off the winning pace.

Finau was third in par-5 scoring average last season and 17th this season.

"“If you don’t birdie the par 5s, a lot of times you may not get a lot of great looks out here,” Finau said last year. “From 30, 40 feet, those aren’t really great looks. So you just have to kind of stay patient and hopefully the birdies fall where you hit some good shots.”"

For a while, Finau seemed to be a top-10 machine but he’s dipped a bit the past two weeks with a missed cut at the Phoenix Open and a T38 last week at Pebble Beach.

Fortunately, Riviera seems to be the most comfortable of the three for him. Plus, he had three straight finished inside the top 16 leading into Phoenix, including a runner-up at the Hero World Challenge, so it’s far from doom and gloom right now for the 29-year-old.

Home/Golf Power Rankings