Genesis Invitational: 4 pivotal holes that will decide winner at Tiger Woods’ event

Simply put, Riviera Country Club is one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world.

the current 18th place One of Golf Digest’s top 100 courses in America, Riviera hosts the annual Genesis Invitational and has been host to numerous major championships. The U.S. Open will resume in 2031, hosting the course’s first U.S. Championship since 1948, when Ben Hogan won.

The layout, designed by George C. Thomas, also hosted the PGA Championship in 1983 and 1995, won by Hal Sutton and Steve Elkington, respectively. This course will also host his 2028 Olympics.

The 7,322-yard Riviera for pros features uneven Poa Anua greens that seem to cause fits each year.

Kaikuyu stretches both on the fairway and in the rough. This thick, grippy grass gives players a perfect lie on mowed fairways, but can wreak havoc in the rough, taking away control of the player’s clubface, flipping the face, and forcing errant shots. It often happens.

Every hole at Riviera requires precision, precision, and strategy, but these holes stand out. Here are his four holes that will be critical to determining the winner this week.

Hole 4 – Par 3, 236 yards

The first par 3 at Riviera is a real beast as it’s uphill into the wind and you can’t aim directly at the green. Players should aim to the right of the deep bunker that protects the putting surface, as the adjacent ravine helps guide the tee shot to the green.

The green slopes significantly from the front right to the back left, so the pin is almost at the back of the green. If you aim to the right of the pin without taking advantage of the slope mentioned above, your tee shot will bounce off the downhill slope and go over the green, making it difficult to go up and down.

At last year’s Genesis Invitational, the fourth hole was the most difficult par 3 at 0.226 over par. All week, only two holes played tougher than this one, the par 4 12th and the par 4 15.

Even though they know the par-5 first hole is a great birdie opportunity, many players will fall back to even par or worse after the fourth hole. But here he is, the player who achieved three through four days will definitely be satisfied and be able to gain an advantageous position on the field.

Perhaps that explains why Hogan called it “America’s greatest par 3 hole.”

Hole 10 – Par 4, 315 yards

Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images.

The back nine begins with an instant decision: Should I attack or lay up?

The safest play is to take your iron off the tee and place it well in front of the green on the left side of the fairway. This option leaves a perfect angle on this pencil-thin putting surface.

However, if a player decides to pull out the driver, they should expect their tee shot to stop on the left side of the green. Spotting a sand trap or letting your tee ball fly across the green can create a dangerous situation. This green is very small and has a very difficult angle, so players will have a hard time finding the putting surface on their second shot. Aiming for the green will result in a bogey or worse.

But that’s the beauty of this par 4, sometimes considered one of the easiest to drive holes in the world. If given the chance with a great tee shot, a player can score an eagle. Despite this, many pros end up dropping shots because they fail to execute the correct strategy or place their tee shots in dangerous spots.

The 10th was played as the fourth easiest hole at Riviera last year, with 106 birdies and two eagles. However, he also recorded seven bogeys that were double bogey or worse, and tied for fourth among all holes.

Hole 17 – Par 5, 590 yards

Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images

The longest hole on the property offers a birdie opportunity if players avoid the bunkers that line this hole.

There are sand traps on both sides of the fairway, so the accuracy of your tee shot is of the utmost importance.

This hole also has a steep uphill slope, meaning only long hitters will be able to find two putting surfaces. However, with so much rain in Southern California in recent weeks and soft conditions, this hole will be even longer, making it difficult for even the biggest bombers to return in two shots.

Therefore, the player’s second shot here is the most important. You must avoid a bunker on the left side of the fairway about 150 yards to the green. Two sand traps located approximately 50 yards in front of the putting surface must also be avoided.

The small green is well protected by a large sand trap on the right side, which absorbs mishits. It also proves to be a difficult up and down.

The 17th was the third easiest hole a year ago, played at .305 under. He allowed five eagles and 140 birdies overall.

Hole 18 – Par 4, 475 yards

Photo credit: Brian Rothmuller/Getty Images

The round on the majestic Riviera ends with No. 18, a gorgeous uphill dogleg from left to right that finishes in a natural amphitheater below the clubhouse.

Players face a blind tee shot. The fairway slopes from left to right, mirroring the slope of the canyon beside it. There is a large, tall tree on the right side of the fairway, and a missed shot in that direction will lead to big trouble.

Nevertheless, if players find short grass, they still face a difficult approach to small uphill greens, causing trouble around them.

If you miss to the left, the player will be hit with a downhill chip shot onto a sloping green off a side hill.

Conversely, a miss to the right leaves a problem up and down as the player’s ball can bounce in any direction.

Therefore, finding green in regulation is of paramount importance.

In 2023, the 18th was 0.103 strokes above par and finished as the 6th most difficult hole. Anyone who was able to finish the round on a good note at Riviera would have an advantage over everyone else, as he recorded a bogey of 73 against 39 birdies.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.