2022 Genesis Invitational: Three To Bet After Round One

The Genesis Invitational didn’t fail to disappoint in round one with the magnificent Riviera holding its own against some of the best players in the world on Thursday. Big names like Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, and Patrick Reed all struggled throughout the first round, they will all need to click into gear to have a chance to make the weekend.

Meanwhile, Joaquin Niemann was casually going about his business and lighting up the leaderboard during his first round, he leads proceedings going into the second round after a scintillating 63 on Thursday.  He takes a three-shot cushion over the rest of the field moving into Friday.

The 23-year-old Niemann will be hoping to hang on and claim his second Tour win come the end of the week.  The Chilean begins his second round at 10:24 am EST on Friday alongside Adam Long, and Robert Streb.

2022 Genesis Invitational Select Second Round Tee-times

Joaquin Niemann, Robert Streb, Adam Long  (1st Hole Start, 10:24 am EST)

Hideki Matsuyama, Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy (10th Hole Start, 10:24 am EST)

Max Homa, Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott (10th Hole Start, 10:35 am EST)

Patrick Cantlay, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed (10th Hole Start, 10:46 am EST)

Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth (1st Hole Start, 2:59 pm EST)

Cameron Smith, Sam Burns, Justin Thomas (1st Hole Start, 3:21 pm EST)

Betting Favorites After First Round At Riviera

Odds Provided by WynnBet are current at the time of publication, subject to change.

Joaquin Niemann (+500)

Scottie Scheffler (+1000)

Justin Thomas (+1000)

Collin Morikawa (+1100)

Jordan Spieth (+1100)

Jon Rahm (+1200)

Cameron Smith (+1200)

Max Homa (+1500)

Rory McIlroy (+2250)

Jason Kokrak (+2500)

Xander Schauffele (+2500)

The Three Best Bets After Round One At The Genesis Invitational

Jon Rahm (+1200)

It’s difficult to want to take a guy that is six shots back of the lead at this short of a number, but the signs are pointing to a potential eruption of form from the world number one, simply put this may be the biggest number on the Spaniard the rest of the week.

Rahm hasn’t won since the U.S. Open last year, but he continues to look like another win may come at any moment. He has gone 2nd, 14th, 3rd, 10th in his last four starts, and after the first round at the Genesis Invitational he quite remarkably leads the field in strokes gained approach (4.19), he is also second to only Niemann in strokes gained tee to green (4.98).

Jon couldn’t buy a putt on Thursday losing over three strokes on the greens, but you would have to think that only improves as the week goes on. He has historically lost strokes on the greens at Riviera just one time in three starts, and even then it was by the smallest of margins, nothing like the ridiculous number he lost during the first round. The other two starts in both 2020, and 2019 resulted in largely positive strokes gained putting numbers on the poa annua greens.

The world number one was 5th here in 2021, 17th in 2020, and 9th in 2019. Waiting for the Spaniard to win again is like waiting on an active volcanic eruption, it is just a matter of time. I’ll take a chance that he turns things around with the putter and goes nuclear from this point onwards.

Si Woo Kim (+7500)

Taking Rahm means that the next two picks need to come from further down the board, and Si Woo Kim is one of those picks at a nice number. The 2017 PLAYERS Champion is also six shots behind heading into the second round, and much like his game, his results at Riviera have been rather sporadic.

Si Woo was 3rd here in 2019, 37th in 2020, and he missed the cut at Riviera last year. He has had a pretty good start to 2022 though with two 11th place finishes at both the American Express, and Farmers, and a 26th place finish at the WM Phoenix Open last week.

The 26-year-old was 8th best in the field on Thursday in strokes gained tee to green after gaining over three strokes in that department. He also had a solid day with approach numbers gaining nearly two strokes on approach (1.92). The only area that he struggled came on the greens as he lost just over a stroke with the putter.

Like Rahm before him, Si Woo has also been relatively solid on the greens at Riviera in previous starts. He has gained strokes on these tricky greens in his last three starts at the Genesis Invitational. Kim is such a streaky player that there is a lot of upside in this number, and his performance after the first round is encouraging. History would suggest he should be able to get the putter to flip, and we know that he is capable of winning big events after his victory at TPC Sawgrass in 2017.

Patrick Rodgers (+15000)

I’ll finish with a player at a huge number in Patrick Rodgers who is also six shots off the pace after his first round. He seems to play well at Riviera each year regardless of his form coming into the Genesis Invitational each year, his last five finishes read 12th (2021), 30th (2020), 15th (2019), 26th (2018), and 22nd (2017).

Patrick was second in the field in strokes gained approach (3.81) on Thursday and he also gained over three strokes tee to green during the first round. He struggled off the tee and on the greens during his first round and while he has mixed results off the tee at Riviera in recent starts, gaining in three of six starts, he is generally a good putter at this event. Rodgers has gained strokes on the greens at Riviera in every start with the exception of one year across his last six starts here.

A change in fortunes on the greens, continued consistency from tee to green and with his approaches, could see him making a move up the leaderboard. Patrick is a long shot to win, no doubt, but the number is too big for how he is playing so far. I’d look to add him for a top 10 finish and top 20 finish as well.