⛳ Genesis Invitational Picks & Odds to Win: PGA Tour Odds & Golf Betting Preview
Scottie Scheffler (+300) and Rory McIlroy (+1400) are this week's PGA Tour golf betting favorites, but do they highlight our Genesis Invitational picks?
The tournament is back at its traditional home, Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., after being temporarily moved last year because of wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Ludvig Aberg captured the title at Torrey Pines Golf Course during that relocation, while Hideki Matsuyama returns as the reigning Riviera champion from 2024.
There's a 72-man field in attendance for our second straight Signature Event. There will be a 36-hole cut with the top 50 and ties advancing to the weekend. Only one course will be played this week. Tiger Woods is the tournament host, but (unfortunately) he will not be playing.
π₯ Genesis Invitational picks: Tournament best bets
Here are my best golf picks to win the 2026 Genesis Invitational as of Monday morning:
Outright winner: Scottie Scheffler (+300)
I've refrained from putting Scottie on this list all season, but at the Genesis, I just had to do it. He's currently on a heater, with one win and three top-five finishes already this season, and Rivieria is a statistically perfect fit for his game. While he hasn't won the Genesis Invitational, he's had two top-10 finishes at Riviera Country Club. Scheffler leads the Tour in Strokes Gained: Total and Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, and is in fantastic form to capture his second win of the season after falling just short at Pebble Beach.
Top-10 finish: Chris Gotterup (+360)
Gotterup has transformed himself into a legitimate contender this year. He's already got two PGA Tour wins this year, including a dominant playoff victory against Hideki Matsuyama in a playoff hole at the WM Phoenix Open. Our projection models both have Gotterup finishing top-five this week, but we'll play it a bit safer with a .5u play on a top-10 placement. At +3500 to win outright, he owns the highest win equity of our mid-tier players.
Top-5 finish: Patrick Cantlay (+550)
Let's just say Cantlay is the course specialist. Cantlay genuinely treats Riviera like his own backyard, finishing T-17 or better in six of his last seven starts, including three top-10 finishes. He ranks in the top 20% of the field in proximity from 150 to 200 yards, which is where he'll likely live this week with his approach shots. You'll get him at a discount, too - he's trading longer than big names like McIlroy despite having better course history. I'll be sprinkling a .3u on his +2700 outright odds as well.
π° Genesis Invitational sleeper picks
For more sleeper picks, make sure to read LJ Blut's long shot picks for the Genesis Invitational:
Cameron Young (+3500)
Cameron Young enters this week at No. 22 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). After playing the best golf of his career last last summer into the fall, including his first PGA Tour win, he's struggled early in 2026. He finished T-41 in the WM Phoenix Open and T-55 last week at Pebble Beach. Young is 10th on the Genesis Invitational oddsboard, but I have him sixth in my power rankings this week.
But Young leads this field with 2.42 true strokes gained on the field over 12 career rounds at Riviera CC. He was a co-runner-up in his 2022 tournament debut and hasn't finished worse than T-20.
Despite his relative struggles to start the 2026 season, Young is still gaining strokes in all key metrics, and he's been particularly sharp around the greens. He's one of the longer hitters in any field both off the tee and with his irons. Young's outright odds have lengthened since Monday's opening Genesis Invitational odds, making this an even more attractive bet.
Sahith Theegala (+8000)
Raised in Chino Hills and a standout at Pepperdine, Theegala is a Poa annua specialist. He's made the cut in all five of his professional starts at Riviera, including a T-6 in 2023. Theegala has started his 2026 season off with a bang, going five-for-five in cuts made and has had two top-10 finishes. At +8000, you could do worse with a long shot.
Tony Finau (+10000)
Finau has demonstrated he can compete at Riviera, highlighted by his runner-up finish in 2021 - clear evidence the layout complements his skill set. His power off the tee and knack for piling up birdies give him significant upside when his ball-striking is dialed in, and heβs coming off encouraging form, including a T-11 at Pebble Beach earlier this month.
If he limits the big mistakes and stays in the mix over all four rounds, he has the tools to break through and capture a win. A strong weekend performance from Finau wouldnβt be surprising at all.
π°οΈ Genesis Invitational tee times for featured groups - Round 1
Here are your featured tee times for Round 1 at The Genesis Invitational:
| Time | Group | Players |
|---|---|---|
| 12:08 p.m. | Marquee Group | Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood |
| 11:39 a.m. | Featured Group | Cameron Young, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry |
| 11:56 a.m. | Featured Group | J.J. Spaun, Ludvig Γ berg, Hideki Matsuyama |
| 2:37 p.m. | Featured Group | Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Si Woo Kim |
ποΈ Genesis Invitational betting information
Who's controlling the percentage of handle and bets? Ticket info courtesy of DraftKings.
| Category | Player | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Most Tickets | Scottie Scheffler | 15.1% |
| Rory McIlroy | 7.8% | |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 5.7% | |
| Most Handle | Scottie Scheffler | 21.4% |
| Rory McIlroy | 13.7% | |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 6.8% | |
| Biggest Liabilities | Rory McIlroy | β |
| Scottie Scheffler | β | |
| Tony Finau | β |
π Genesis Invitational outright odds: Favorites
Here are the betting favorites to win this week's Genesis Invitational, with odds via DraftKings. Top finish odds include ties. For the full-field odds from our best golf betting sites, scroll further down.
| Player | To Win | Top 5 | Top 10 | OGWR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +320 | -144 | -300 | No. 1 |
| Rory McIlroy | +1300 | +245 | +118 | No. 2 |
| Xander Schauffele | +2100 | +365 | +170 | No. 13 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | +2200 | +360 | +164 | No. 3 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | +2450 | +365 | +170 | No. 10 |
π Genesis Invitational favorites: Scottie (+335) or Rory (+1400)?
It's another Signature Event, so that means we have 18 of the top 20 golfers in the OWGR in the field. That includes the top two - Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy - who are once again the betting favorites to win.
Their routine dominance on the PGA Tour hasn't followed either one to Riviera Country Club. McIlroy has averaged 1.62 true strokes gained on the field per round across his 30 rounds played in this event. Scheffler has averaged 1.57 strokes gained over 22 career rounds. McIlroy has three career top-10 finishes here but none in his past two trips. Scheffler finished T-10 or better in two of his past three trips to Riviera.
As will often be the case for me this year, I would back McIlroy at the longer +1400 odds, with a winning $10 bet on Scheffler returning a profit of just $33.50 in an elite 72-man field. But I prefer to back others with longer odds in the outright market this week.
Best bet: Rory McIlroy to finish top 5 (+245 via DraftKings)
π‘ How I'm betting The Genesis Invitational
The Genesis Invitational returns to Riviera Country Club this year after moving to Torrey Pines a year ago due to wildfires in the Los Angeles area. As such, 2025 tournament stats can be ignored.
Riviera Country Club is a favorite of many PGA Tour pros. It's long for a par 71 at 7,383 yards with tight and windy fairways. The course had typically favored bombers off the tee for a long time but there's been a recent shift more toward accuracy off the tee with the rough grown out and being more penal.
The greens are relatively small and play firm and fast, with the added difficulty of the Poa annua greens being bumpier and more unpredictable.
I value course history at Riviera as much as anywhere on the PGA Tour, and will favor the many California-born golfers int he field. As is often the case, strokes gained: approach is the most important stat this week, and we're also heavily weighing proximity on approach shots from 175-200. I'll slightly favor accuracy over distance off the tee while trusting the top long iron ball-strikers.
Course stats
Here are the course stats for Riviera Country Club:
| Riviera Country Club | |
|---|---|
| Par | 71 |
| Yardage | 7,383 |
| Greens | Poa annua |
| Architect | George C. Thomas Jr. |
| Comparable courses | Nine Bridges, Augusta National Golf Course |
Key stats
Here are the key stats I use to handicap The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, and the weight I give to each stat:
- Strokes gained: approach (35%)
- Proximity from 175-200 yards (20%)
- Strokes gained: around-the-green (20%)
- Strokes gained: off-the-tee (15%)
- Bogey avoidance (10%)
π Full-field Genesis Invitational odds
Live Genesis Invitational odds update in real time.
β³ Genesis Invitational tournament info
- Where: The Riviera Country Club (Pacific Palisades, Calif.)
- When: Thursday, Feb. 19 - Sunday, Feb. 22
- Field: 72
- Cut: 36 holes (top 50 and ties)
- Favorite: Scottie Scheffler (+335 via BetRivers)
- Defending champion: Ludvig Aberg (Torrey Pines)
- Purse: $20 million ($4 million to first)
- FedEx Cup points: 700
πΊ How to watch the Genesis Invitational
The 2026 Genesis Invitational will be broadcast over PGA Tour Live (ESPN+), Golf Channel, and CBS. Here's the full broadcast schedule and how to watch each time slot:
| Day | Time slot | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday-Friday | 10:15 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| Thursday-Friday | 4-8 p.m. ET | Golf Channel |
| Saturday | 10:15 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| Saturday | 1-3 p.m. ET | Golf Channel |
| Saturday | 3-7 p.m. ET | CBS |
| Sunday | 9:45 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| Sunday | 1-3 p.m. ET | Golf Channel |
| Sunday | 3-6:30 p.m. ET | CBS |
βοΈ Genesis Invitational weather
Here is the weather forecast for Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., this week, according to Accuweather:
| Round | Temperature | Possibility of precipitation | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 57 degrees (low of 43) | 91% | 12 mph (25 mph gusts) |
| Round 2 | 60 degrees (low of 44) | 9% | 5 mph (10 mph gusts) |
| Round 3 | 63 degrees (low of 47) | 4% | 5 mph (10 mph gusts) |
| Round 4 | 68 degrees (low of 52) | 6% | 5 mph (12 mph gusts) |
π Genesis Invitational betting history
Here are the recent winners of The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Historical golf odds via GolfOdds.com:
| Year | Winner | Score to par | Odds (prior to Round 1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ludvig Aberg* | -12 | +2500 |
| 2024 | Hideki Matsuyama | -17 | +8000 |
| 2023 | Jon Rahm | -17 | +850 |
| 2022 | Joaquin Niemann | -19 | +5000 |
| 2021 | Max Homa | -12 (playoff) | +5000 |
| 2020 | Adam Scott | -11 | +3000 |
| 2019 | J.B. Holmes | -14 | +10000 |
| 2018 | Bubba Watson | -12 | +5000 |
| 2017 | Dustin Johnson | -17 | +750 |
| 2016 | Bubba Watson | -15 | +2000 |
* The 2025 Genesis Invitational, won by Ludvig Aberg, was played at Torrey Pines Golf Course.
β Genesis Invitational FAQs
Who is favored to win The Genesis Invitational?
Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite to win the Genesis Invitational this week, with his +335 odds via BetRivers representing an implied win probability of 22.99% in the 72-man field.
Who won The Genesis Invitational last year?
Ludvig Aberg won last year's Genesis Invitational with the tournament played at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego.
Where is The Genesis Invitational?
The Genesis Invitational will be played at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
When is The Genesis Invitational?
The 2026 Genesis Invitational is scheduled to be played from Thursday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 22.
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