The Genesis Invitational | Final Round Preview

PACIFIC PALISADES – Patrick Cantlay holds his fifth career 54-hole lead/co-lead in individual stroke-play events on TOUR (not including FedExCup Starting Strokes) and first since 2022 Shriners Children’s Open where he finished T2. He is 2-for-4 converting to a victory to date (2021 and 2022 BMW Championship).

Cantlay held a two-stroke lead after the third round of the 2021 TOUR Championship and went on to win by one stroke (entered the tournament with a two-stroke lead at 10-under due to FedExCup Starting Strokes). He held a five-stroke lead through 54 holes with partner Xander Schauffele at the 2022 Zurich Classic of New Orleans (went on to win by two strokes)

Today, Cantlay will battle vs. Schauffele rather than play with him as a partner. Schauffele shot a 6-under (65), his career-low score in 27 career rounds at The Riviera Country Club. A win today would be his eighth on the PGA TOUR and first since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

Luke List (4th/-11) seeks his third TOUR victory in as many seasons (2022 Farmers Insurance Open, 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship).

Genesis Leaderboard | After Round 3

1 Patrick Cantlay 64 65 70 199 (-14)

T2 Xander Schauffele 70 66 65 201 (-12)

T2 Will Zalatoris 66 70 65 201 (-12)

4 Luke List 65 69 68 202 (-11)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

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By TERRY LYONS

PACIFIC PALISADES – The Genesis Invitational is the 16th event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour Season and third designated event, featuring 23 of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Ranking (39 of top 50), the Top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings and all 13 players that have won on Tour this season. The field was expanded from the original size of 120 players to 130 to include all players defined as eligible in the tournament regulations. This is the second week in a row that the field has been expanded due to the strength of the field, with the WM Phoenix Open expanded from 132 to 134.

That stated, the field has been reduced to 129 because of several player WDs, including Maverick McNealy (full listing below).

Purse of $20m and 550 FedEx Cup points are on the line

Tournament host and 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods is making his first start on Tour since the 2022 Open Championship and first in a non-major since the 2020 ZOZO Championship. Woods’ opening tee shot in the first round will take place 844 days since his last competitive round in a non-major (October 25, 2020).

With a victory, Woods would break a tie with Sam Snead for most wins in PGA Tour history. Woods has not finished in the Top-10 on Tour since the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open (T-9) and his most recent victory, his 82nd, came at the 2019 ZOZO.

Woods has 14 starts at The Genesis Invitational, the most of any tournament in his career without a victory. He made his PGA Tour debut at the event in 1992 as a 16-year-old amateur (MC) and most recently competed in 2020 (68th).

Tiger Woods’ most starts in a PGA Tour event without a victory:

• 14 The Genesis Invitational
• 11 FedEx St. Jude Championship (formerly The Barclays)
• 5 The Honda Classic

Genesis Invitational | Tournament Facts

COURSE: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades

YARDS/PAR: 7,322 yards/Par 71

ARCHITECTS: G.C.Thomas, Jr.\ W.P. Bell

PRIZE Money – Purse: $20,000,000/$3,600,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Joaquin Niemann

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 550

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @thegenesisinv

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The Genesis Invitational | Recap

PACIFIC PALISADES – Joaquin Niemann won The Genesis Invitational by two strokes to earn his second PGA Tour victory and first since 2019. Niemann is the fourth wire-to-wire victor in tournament history and was the first since Charlie Sifford in 1969.

The 23-year-old became the second-youngest winner of The Genesis Invitational standing beside Harry Cooper who won in 1926.

California native Collin Morikawa and promising PGA Tour rookie Cameron Young finished T-2 while Adam Scottfinished T-4 at (-14). Scott won the 2020 Genesis Invitational, and had a chance this week as he shot a final-round 5-under (66), highlighted by eagles on No. 1 and No. 17 and birdies on three of the four par-3s (4, 6, 14), but Niemann’s effort was just too much.

Making his second tournament start, Viktor Hovland (T-4) at (-14) posted his second straight Top-five finish at the event (T-5 in 2021) and second Top-five on Tour this season (Won/World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba).

Justin Thomas finished solo sixth (-13), earning his fourth Top-10 in his sixth start of the season; ranks T2 in Driving Accuracy (37-of-56) for the week while defending champion Max Homa finished T-10, his third consecutive Top-10 at The Genesis Invitational.

The Genesis Invitational | Final Leaderboard

Joaquin Niemann 63-63-68-71—265 (-19)

Collin Morikawa 67-67-68-65—267 (-17)

Cameron Young 66-62-69-70—267 (-17)

Adam Scott 68-65-71-66—270 (-14)

Viktor Hovland 71-64-65-70—270 (-14)

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The Genesis Invitational | Preview for Round 2

PACIFIC PALISADES – Joaquin Niemann’s opening (63) ties the lowest first-round score in The Genesis Invitational history with eight other players.

Defending champion Max Homa made eagle on No. 10 and sits T-2.

PGA Tour rookie Cameron Young (T-2) opened with a 5-under (66) in his tournament debut.

A week after earning his first PGA Tour victory at the WM Phoenix Open, Scottie Scheffler (T-2/-5), 2018 Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase winner, makes his fourth event start (MC/2018, T-30/2020, T-20/2021). Currently projected to take No. 1 spot in the FedEx Cup standings for the first time in his career.

Making his 10th appearance at The Genesis Invitational (best finish: T-4/2015), Jordan Spieth (T-2/-5) seeks his 13th career PGA Tour title and first since 2021 Valero Texas Open.

The Genesis Invitational | Leaderboard After 18 Holes

Joaquin Niemann 63 (-8)

Scottie Scheffler 66 (-5)

Jordan Spieth 66 (-5)

Cameron Young 66 (-5)

Max Homa 66 (-5)

Full leaderboard: (link)

The Genesis Invitational | Round 2

COURSE: Riviera County Club, Pacific Palisades, California

ARCHITECTS: G.C.Thomas, Jr. and W.P. Bell

YARDS/PAR: 7,322 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $12,000,000/$2,160,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Max Homa

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 550 (Elevated Status)

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @thegenesisinv

TV COVERAGE: Today’s broadcast is scheduled from 4:00pm to 8:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel. Saturday coverage is 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 3:00 to 7pm (ET) on CBS. On Sunday, Golf Channel broadcasts from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) and CBS follows with the final round 3:00 to 6:30pm (ET).

PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Streaming coverage will be featured on ESPN-Plus today with Main Feed, Featured Hole and Featured Groups from 9:30am to 8:00pm (ET). On Saturday, ESPN+ streams 12:00 noon to 7:00pm (ET) while, on Sunday, ESPN+ streaming is from 11:30am to 6:30pm (ET).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live radio coverage of The Genesis Invitational with today’s broadcast from 2:00pm to 8:00pm (ET). Saturday coverage on Sirius XM Radio runs from 2:00pm to 7:00pm and Sunday from 1:00 to 6:30pm (ET). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom.

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The Genesis Invitational | Tournament Preview

PACIFIC PALISADES – Jon Rahm tees-it-up for The Genesis Invitational holding the No. 1 position in the Official World Golf Ranking for the 31st consecutive week, but two players can take over the top spot with a win this week (if Rahm finishes worse than solo-fourth). Those two are No. 2 Collin Morikawa and No. 3 Patrick Cantlay, who’ve combined for seven Top-10s in seven starts this season. Neither player has been ranked No. 1 previously.

The Genesis Invitational has presented the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption since 2009, providing an opportunity to a golfer of a minority background to compete in the tournament. Named in honor of Charlie Sifford, the first Black player to compete on the modern-day PGA Tour, the 2022 exemption was awarded to Aaron Beverly who will make his Tour debut. The Sacramento State University alum most recently competed on the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour where he won the Fall Series finale at nearby Wilshire Country Club. Beverly will hit the opening tee shot to start the first round. There are three former Charlie Sifford Exemption recipients in the field this week: Harold Varner III (2014), J.J. Spaun (2016) and Cameron Champ (2018). The Genesis Invitational is the first of several tournaments to recognize Sifford in 2022 as he would have turned 100 this June 2nd.

The Genesis Invitational

COURSE: Riviera County Club, Pacific Palisades, California

ARCHITECTS: G.C.Thomas, Jr. and W.P. Bell

YARDS/PAR: 7,322 yards/Par 71

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $12,000,000/$2,160,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Max Homa

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 550 (Elevated Status)

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @thegenesisinv

TV COVERAGE: First two rounds (Today and Feb 18) are scheduled for coverage from 4:00pm to 8:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel. Saturday coverage is set for 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 3:00 to 7pm (ET) on CBS. On Sunday, Golf Channel broadcasts from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) and CBS follows with the final round 3:00 to 6:30pm (ET).

PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Streaming coverage will be featured on ESPN-Plus today and Friday with Main Feed, Featured Hole and Featured Groups from 9:30am to 8:00pm (ET). On Saturday ESPN+ streams 12:00 noon to 7:00pm (ET) while, on Sunday, ESPN+ streaming is from 11:30am to 6:30pm (ET).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live radio coverage of The Genesis Invitational with today’s and Friday’s broadcasts from 2:00pm to 8:00pm (ET). Saturday coverage on Sirius XM Radio runs from 2:00pm to 7:00pm and Sunday from 1:00 to 6:30pm (ET). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom.

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