PGA Tour: Genesis Invitational Betting Preview

Moved out of its normal home at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, the Genesis Invitational will instead take place at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. We also got word this week that the host of the tournament, Tiger Woods, will not be competing as expected because of the passing of his mother.

The tournament will have a very different feel because of Woods’ absence and the relocation because of the wildfires in Los Angeles. But it’s still a PGA Tour signature event, and the top players in the world will be there.

Genesis Invitational Winner Odds

Scottie Scheffler (+400)

The world’s No. 1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, did not play at the Farmers Insurance Open, the first of the year’s tournaments at Torrey Pines, nor has he ever won here. Although he did finish T7 at the U.S. Open when it was held at Torrey Pines in 2021, so it’s not as though this course is an albatross for him.

He didn’t have a great showing at the Phoenix Open last week, finishing T25. But his hand is healthy and he is swinging a good club.

Rory McIlroy (+650)

Rory McIlroy didn’t play last week in Phoenix, but when we saw him last at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he was the winner. In three worldwide starts this season, McIlroy has two wins.

He’s not a regular at Torrey Pines, last playing here since that U.S. Open in 2021. But he was T7 that year, and in four starts in La Jolla, he has three top 10 finishes.

Collin Morikawa (+1600)

To try and differentiate this event from the Farmers Insurance Open, they are letting the rough grow out. They are also playing exclusively on the South Course at Torrey Pines, as opposed to using the North and South courses at the Farmers.

That favors Collin Morikawa, as he is the season’s early leader in fairways hit from the tee. Less time in the rough will mean more greens in regulation, which should mean lower scores. Even without the alterations to the rough, he’s a good bet on this course. He was third here in 2023 and T4 at the U.S. Open in 2021.

Justin Thomas (+1800)

Justin Thomas is another golfer who will benefit from the higher rough. The course will play longer because of it, and Thomas has the length to mitigate the difference. 

Thomas was T6 last week in Phoenix, runner-up at The American Express, and in five career tournaments at Torrey Pines, has had four top 25 finishes. He’s playing well, and his game is well-suited for the weekend.

Hideki Matsuyama (+2200)

Twice Hideki Matsuyama has finished in the top-10 at Torrey Pines, although at the Farmers Insurance this year he was just T32. Still, his rough start to the season and struggles on the PGA Tour’s west coast swing in 2025 do not undermine his past on this course.

He’s played 12 straight Farmers Insurance tournaments. He was here at the U.S. Open in 2021, and he has finished as high as third on this course.

Ludvig Åberg (+2500)

Ludvig Åberg made his Torrey Pines debut in 2024 and finished T9. This year at the Farmers, he hit the ground running with a first-round 63, and it looked he was going to do even better. But illness struck, and so did bad golf. He went from nine-under after 18 holes, to three-over after 72. He tried to rebound at Pebble Beach, but the illness led to his second-round withdrawal.

Now he is back at Torrey Pines, and he’ll try to recapture the magic of last month’s first round.

Patrick Cantlay (+3000)

Patrick Cantlay finished fourth at the Genesis Invitational, but that recent history at this tournament may not be as important as his history at Torrey Pines. He missed the Farmers last month, and in four other other starts at the Farmers, his best finish was 51st. Twice he missed the cut.

At The American Express in January, he finished T5. Two weeks ago at Pebble Beach, he was T33.