2022 Genesis Invitational: Top 10 power rankings at Riviera CC
After making a brief sojourn to Arizona for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the PGA Tour is back to California for another West Coast swing staple.
We’ve got the Genesis Invitational, which evolved from the original Los Angeles Open established in 1926.
It’s been dubbed the Genesis Invitational since 2020 when it converted from a traditional PGA Tour event to an elevated status event, which means no Monday qualifier, a larger purse, more FedEx Cup points, and a three-year exemption to the winner instead of two years.
This event attracted great fields even before its distinction as an elevated status event. It continues in 2022.
All top 10 players in the Official World Golf Rankings are a part of the 120-player field.
They’ll be taking on a classic golf course that’s stood the test of time. Riviera Country Club is a 7,322-yard par-71 designed by George C. Thomas Jr. and William P. Bell in 1926.
The private club in Pacific Palisades, California, is just outside of Los Angeles. It’s a relatively narrow, tree-lined layout that emphasizes proper ball striking. That’s especially the case on approach, as Riviera’s greens are the smallest on the PGA Tour averaging 7,500 square feet.
The course is known for its relatively distinctive Kikuyu grass, a sticky surface that Aussie players, for example, are more used to. The greens are poa annua, a bumpy surface common on the West Coast swing like at Torrey Pines and Pebble Beach.
If the wind is up and conditions are dry, the green speeds can be major championship quick.
This week’s weather forecast looks pretty benign with temperatures in the 50s-70s with no rain predicted during tournament rounds and light to moderate wind.
There are no water hazards to worry about, but there are 58 bunkers.
Stats to keep an eye on this week while selecting a daily fantasy lineup or making your bet slip include: strokes gained off the tee, strokes gained approach, and 3-putt avoidance. If you want to get more nitty-gritty, seek out players who have putted well in recent weeks on poa annua greens. Guys who putt well on firm and fast greens should also excel here.
Course history matters, too, and you’ll notice several horses for the course in my power rankings. Speaking of, let’s get down to them: