Niall Lyons has four selections in the 2026 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, California.
Genesis Invitational
The Genesis Invitational 2026 is held at Riviera Country Club, California.
Undoubtedly the one thing that pops up here with winners in contenders is previous form around Augusta National. Matsuyama (2021 & 2024) , Scott (2020 & 2005), Watson (2018, 2016 & 2014), Johnson (2017) Mickelson (2009 & 2008), Weir (2004 & 2003), Faldo (1997) and Stadler (1996) are just some of the winners here who have also won the Masters.
Runners up at the Masters Ernie Els, Len Mattiace and Chip Beck have also managed wins around here so ignore Augusta form at your peril. It is no surprise that Augusta form marries up here with the importance on a solid tee to green game, specifically on approach play and around the greens.
Two of the last 3 winners here, Rahm and Niemann, have both topped the strokes gained approach stat for the week whilst Matsuyama was 3rd in that stat two years ago.
In terms of work around the green the leader in that department for the week, or the runner up has finished inside the top 5 in four of the last five years.
Driving distance helps, but being average length off the tee is no disadvantage. However, winners like Rahm, Niemann, Watson, DJ and Holmes down the years certainly suggests it will be a slugger to come out on top.
Of the 32 golfers who have made the frame down these last five years only six have finished outside the top 20 in GIR for the week.
The long game is all important at Riviera and it'll pay to concentrate on those who make their gains from tee to green.
Genesis Invitational Winners & Stats
Genesis Invitational Tips
4pts WIN R.McIlroy 13/1 AK Bets
1.75pts each-way P.Cantlay 25/1 (1/5 6) General
1.5pts each-way L.Aberg 40/1 (1/5 6) Betfred
1pt each-way S.Lowry 60/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
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Rory McIlroy at 13/1 (WIN)
Scottie Scheffler's slow start these last couple of weeks has cost him dearly and punters betting with him in the market will be hoping for another one this week.
These things often become a bit of a habit so it actually wouldn't surprise me should the best golfer since Tiger Woods actually need to put the burners on again after round one. In six tries here he hasn't managed a top 5 finish and without looking there can't be many courses where he has a record as poor as that.
McIlroy has had eight attempts at this one and twice broken into the top 5 and maybe this year is his time to finally land a victory.
He ranked 4th in strokes gained approach last week but it's slightly harder to gain off the tee around Pebble with his game so he should be suited by Riveria a little more in that department.
Accuracy doesn't matter as much around here and with the rain that has fallen there this past week it plays even more into his hands. It looks like a week to bomb it and go from there which gives McIlroy a real fighting chance of competing here for the win over the weekend.
His record at Augusta is exemplary and his name missing from the roll of honour here at Riviera just doesn't seem quite right.
Scheffler is in the same boat and if either were to win it wouldn't look out of place with the Augusta narrative.
Patrick Cantlay at 25/1 (Six Places)
Lowry, Cantlay and Morikawa are three guys who have been somewhat blacklisted by me lately because of their lack of victories in the last couple of years.
Morikawa got the monkey off his back last week and I'm happy enough to get Patrick Cantlay on side at Riviera at 25/1.
Cantlay's long game has been magnificent since the start of the year only let down by poor putting weeks both at the American Express and then at Torrey Pines.
He putted better last week at Pebble for a top15 finish and he should really give a bold account this week back at Riviera.
He has managed three top four finishes in his last seven tries here and only once been out of the top 20 during that period. Cantlay knows how to get it around here and although he doesn't have the sparkling Augusta record of a handful of others in the field he has made up with that with his finishes here.
He looks to be bubbling nicely and experience counts for an awful lot around this layout.
Ludvig Aberg at 40/1 (Six Places)
It's a difficult affair this for punters but one who must be backed (yes again!) is Ludvig Aberg. I am more than aware that I have already fallen off the cliff and the coastguards are on their way but there are plenty of reasons to be positive about his chances here at Riviera.
There are strange similarities with last year given he had an early season illness then began to recover. His victory at this event last year came at Torrey Pines following an illness a few weeks previous.
I had hoped he was over that last week but evidence was thin on the ground after an opening 75 at Spyglass Hill.
69-66-67 over the final three days at Pebble Beach wasn't beaten by many in the field and he certainly looks interesting now headed to Riviera.
The Augusta angle increases the narrative surrounding the Swede having finished runner up and 7th there in two appearances. It all adds up to another big chance for Aberg and with the evidence of three solid rounds strung together last weekend it bodes well for another trip around a Poa Green golf course.
The rain that has fallen can only strengthen his chances and the leaderboard could well be littered with some of the longest hitters in the game.
Shane Lowry at 60/1 (Eight Places)
Shane Lowry enters the equation this week off a top 10 at Pebble. As big as 66/1 is out there for the Irishman and I can't quite believe I'm backing two golfers who have massively frustrated me over the last couple of years.
I'm surprised Lowry hasn't been given more attention this week and I quite simply turn down the price. He ought to be coming here with a victory or a very good chance of one in Dubai when he fluffed his lines on the 72nd hole there last month and together with a really solid display last week at Pebble he should relish this test.
He isn't the longest off the tee which could hamper him a little, but colder temperatures and some poor weather may well play right into his hands. I'll admit he wasn't one I was tempted to go with at all this week prior to seeing the prices but I won't turn down that 66/1.
