The PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational marks its 100th playing this week at Riviera Country Club, returning to Pacific Palisades after last year's wildfires forced a relocation to Torrey Pines. Defending champion Ludvig Åberg headlines a 72-player field featuring top-ranked stars like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. The $20 million signature event includes a 36-hole cut to the low 50 and ties or within 10 strokes of the lead.
Riviera Country Club hosts the Genesis Invitational for the second signature event of 2026, celebrating a century of professional golf in Los Angeles. The tournament, first held in 1926 as the Los Angeles Open, settled at Riviera in 1973 and has featured unforgettable moments, including Tiger Woods' first PGA Tour win and Jack Nicklaus' professional debut. Woods, the event host, selected Sahith Theegala for the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption; other sponsor exemptions include Tony Finau, Max Homa, Tom Kim, and Adam Scott.
The par-71 layout stretches to 7,383 yards following recent modifications, including a new tee on the par-3 fourth hole now playing 273 yards—the longest non-altitude par 3 in PGA Tour history excluding majors—and an extended par-4 18th at 499 yards. Kikuyu rough reaches 2 inches without intermediate cuts, while Poa annua greens roll up to 12.5 on the Stimpmeter. Lanny Wadkins holds the scoring record of 264 from 1985.
The 72-player field boasts 27 of the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, though Woods (back surgery), Justin Thomas (back surgery), Sungjae Im, and Chris Kirk are absent. Scheffler, seeking his first Riviera win in six tries, leads odds at +340, followed by McIlroy (+1100) and Xander Schauffele (+1900). Hideki Matsuyama, the 2024 winner with a final-round 62, defends his Riviera title at +2500.
Genesis extended its title sponsorship through 2030, adding $1 million to the California Rises wildfire relief initiative. The event raised funds last year via California Rises for rebuilding efforts. Riviera will host the 2026 U.S. Women's Open and 2028 Olympic golf competitions.
Broadcast coverage airs Thursday-Friday on Golf Channel (4-8 p.m. ET), with Saturday-Sunday split between Golf Channel and CBS. Streaming is available on ESPN+ from 10:15 a.m. ET Thursday-Sunday.
