Betting Stat Pack: The Genesis Invitational
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This week’s Genesis Invitational wraps up the West Coast Swing on one of the PGA TOUR’s most historic layouts: The Riviera Country Club. From the downhill tee shot on the par-5 first to the drama that emanates from the drivable par-4 10th, players and fans alike know the ins and outs of the demanding George C. Thomas layout.
Riviera is a place where shot-making and imagination can thrive, but there’s also a certain lean toward brute strength off the tee in order to take some of the bite out of the par-71 layout. Here’s a look at a few of the key stats to keep an eye on this week (and which players fit the mold) as you look to make lineup decisions and round out betting cards ahead of the opening round:
Key Statistics
Only players listed are competing this week; click stat headline for additional players; Stats from 2021-22 completed season.
* - top 10 here last five seasons
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Patrick Cantlay* |
| 3 | Rory McIlroy* |
| 4 | Justin Thomas* |
| 5 | Scottie Scheffler* |
| 7 | Sam Burns* |
| 7 | Max Homa* |
| 7 | Jordan Spieth* |
| 10 | Matt Fitzpatrick* |
| 10 | Sungjae Im |
| 12 | Keith Mitchell |
The par-5 holes at The Riviera Country Club can be the eraser on the pencil. None of the trio stretches over 590 yards and the first hole barely reaches 500 (503 yards). Scoring opportunities annually occur here and can mitigate the potential bogeys picked up on the challenging par-4 and par-3 holes elsewhere.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Will Zalatoris |
| 2 | Rory McIlroy* |
| 3 | Justin Thomas* |
| 4 | Scottie Scheffler* |
| 5 | Tony Finau* |
| 6 | Luke List |
| 7 | Matt Fitzpatrick* |
| 8 | Russell Henley |
| 9 | Sungjae Im |
| 11 | Xander Schauffele* |
For the last five years the par-71, 7,332-yard layout has ranked in both the top 12 in toughest fairways and GIR to hit. Players will have to manufacture shots around the doglegs plus navigate lies out of the barranca and Kikuyu to have a chance. Only one winner from the last seven here has finished outside the top five in this category.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Sungjae Im |
| 2 | Tony Finau* |
| 3 | Matt Fitzpatrick* |
| 4 | Xander Schauffele* |
| 5 | Mark Hubbard |
| 6 | Matt Kuchar* |
| 7 | Shane Lowry |
| 9 | Scottie Scheffler* |
| 11 | Rory McIlroy* |
| 12 | Justin Thomas* |
Patience and execution don't always fit in the bag but they must this week. Working the golf ball both directions, dealing with uncomfortable lies in the Kikuyu, difficult bunkers and missing the massive Poa annua greens on the proper side will test everyone. Grinding out pars is necessary when birdie chances do not exist on every hole. The last seven winners all have ranked T9 or better in this category.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Lucas Herbert |
| 2 | Denny McCarthy |
| 3 | Brendon Todd |
| 4 | Tyrrell Hatton |
| 5 | Beau Hossler |
| 6 | Christiaan Bezuidenhout |
| 7 | Kelly Kraft |
| 9 | Kevin Kisner |
| 10 | Sam Burns* |
| 11 | Matt Kuchar* |
Poa annua surfaces require concentration throughout the entire round, regardless of distance. Anything outside of 5 feet is hardly guaranteed, especially above the hole. Paying off bunker/recovery shots and lag putts will go a long way this week in determining the winner.
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