PGA Tour Brunch | Genesis Invitational
Preview of the 2026 Genesis Invitational | Riviera CC
By TERRY LYONS, Digital Sports Desk
The Genesis Invitational | Tournament Preview
LOS ANGELES - The 2026 Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods, returns to the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades after the necessary move to Torrey Pines in San Diego because of the devastating wild fires in the Pacific Palisades and Los Angeles areas a year ago.
This season, the Genesis Invitational is marking its 100-year anniversary since the first playing of the event in 1926. Riviera CC is one of nine venues on the PGA TOUR’s 2026 schedule that has hosted a PGA TOUR event for 50 or more years.
Like all PGA Tour Signature Events, this limited-field event offers increased FedEx Cup points (700) and an increased purse ($20 million/$4m to winner). Genesis is one of three player-hosted events (The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, a.k.a. (Jack Nicklaus).
Woods, the tournament host and 82-time PGA TOUR winner, will not play.
The Genesis Invitational is the sixth event of the 2026 PGA TOUR season and the second of eight Signature Events.
It’s a 20 percent prize allocation to winner ($4 million), up from 18 percent.
This is the only Signature Event to feature a cut: 36-hole cut, low 50 players and ties and any additional players within 10 strokes of the 36-hole leader(s).
Preview | The Genesis Invitational
COURSE: Riviera County Club, Pacific Palisades, California
OVERVIEW: 2026 Genesis Invitational (link)
ARCHITECTS: G.C.Thomas, Jr. and W.P. Bell
YARDS/PAR: 7,383 yards/Par 71
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $20,000,000/$4,000,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Ludvig Åberg (at Torrey Pines)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 700
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @thegenesisinv
Media Coverage of The 2026 Genesis Invitational
Thursday, February 19, 2026 - (All Times Eastern)
10:15am - 8:00pm - ESPN+ streaming
2:00pm - 8:00pm - PGA Tour Radio on Sirius/XM or streaming online
4:00pm - 8:00pm - Golf Channel and Peacock Network
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
The Basics:
The Genesis Invitational begins with Tee Times Thursday at 10:15am to 3:02pm (ET)
Weather: Thursday’s forecast is calling for sunshine but there will be a 70% chance of rain during the day. Also, beware of 23 mph winds. Temps in the low to mid 50s.
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 10:00am (ET) on Thursday.
Last Year’s Leaderboard (from Torrey Pines) - (link)
Two Years Ago Leaderboard (from Riviera CC) - (link)
Last Week’s Leaderboard from Pebble Beach: (link)
The Genesis Invitational - Field and Tee Times
The Field: (link)
Tee Times: (link)
Odds for The Genesis invitational
Source: CBS Sportsline
Scottie Scheffler +300
Rory McIlroy +1100
Xander Schauffele +1900
Tommy Fleetwood +2000
Hideki Matsuyama +2200
Patrick Cantlay +2500
Collin Morikawa +2500
Russell Henley +3000
Si Woo Kim +3000
Cameron Young +3000
Sam Burns +3300
Matt Fitzpatrick +3300
Chris Gotterup +3300
Ludvig Åberg +3500
Viktor Hovland +3500
Jake Knapp +3500
Harris English +3500
Min Woo Lee +3500
Justin Rose +4000
Robert MacIntyre +4000
Sepp Straka +4000
Maverick McNealy +4000
Ben Griffin +4000
Adam Scott +4500
Rickie Fowler +4500
Akshay Bhatia +4500
Jason Day +5500
Keegan Bradley +5500
Shane Lowry +5500
Jordan Spieth +6000
Ryan Gerard +6000
Taylor Pendrith +7000
J.J. Spaun +7000
Kurt Kitayama +7500
Pierceson Coody +7500
Max Homa +7500
Nick Taylor +7500
Alex Noren +8000
Ryo Hisatsune +8000
Jacob Bridgeman +8000
J.T. Poston +8000
Harry Hall +8000
TL’s Wedge for an Edge: This week, the Genesis Invitational is back at Riviera CC, so Cali-kid Collin Morikawa - winner at last week’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am event - is likely to continue his hot streak. Add: Min Woo Lee, Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay. TL Bench players will be: Sam Burns and Tommy Fleetwood. For my One and Done, I’m going with Morikawa.
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What They’re Saying:
Riviera at 100 (PGATourCom)
Power Rankings for The Genesis Invitational (PGATourCom)
Noteable Pairings (PGATourCom)
CBS Sports Golf HQ - (CBS Sports)
Sports Gambling, Daily Fantasy and Industry News
Golf Bet News for the Genesis Invitational (PGA Tour Golf Bet)
Expert Picks for Genesis (PGATourCom)
Sleeper Picks for the Genesis (PGATourCom)
Genesis Renewed Sponsorship (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History:
February 18, 2007 - Charles Howell III won his third title on the PGA Tour, defeating Phil Mickelson on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff at the (then) Nissan Open at Riviera CC in LA. Howell fired a final round (65) and Mickelson bogeyed his final hole in regulation to drop into the playoff. Mickelson had won the week before at Pebble Beach. - (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt:
Morikawa Highlights:
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