Genesis Invitational predictions

Due to the fact that I am a psychic, I will be predicting the top five finishers in this week’s Genesis Invitational. This event takes place at the beautiful hillside country club, Riviera, in Los Angeles.

This famous tournament has been played at this location for the past six decades, except for last year, when it was played at Torrey Pines because of the wildfires in California.

But now, it's back and is taking center stage as some of the biggest names go after a $20 million purse. Some legendary names have won this tournament, such as Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer (amazing drink by the way), Lloyd Mangrum, Bubba Watson and most recently Ludvig Åberg.

So, who will be the next champion at the Tiger Woods-hosted Riviera Country Club?

Min Woo Lee - 5th place

One of the most exciting golfers to watch in the modern era, Min Woo is coming off a spectacular appearance at Pebble Beach. He finished tied for second place, shooting -21. He’s been on a steady upward trend throughout the year.

He is “Dr. Chipinski” for a reason. This course with tough roughs by the green will play to Min Woo Lee’s strengths with his iron game. I can see him doing really well in this tournament, but I believe early struggles will be his Achilles’ heel.

Hideki Matsuyama - 4th place

Consistency is his game. Hideki has been top 15 in all four tournaments he has played in this year. He was so close to a win at the most exciting tournament of the year, the Waste Management Open.

He went to a playoff versus Chris Gotterup and fell short. He will play well enough to earn himself a top 5 placing, but the competition might be too strong for his play.

Chris Gotterup - 3rd place

Chris has been one of the top performers in 2026, winning two tournaments already. He won the Waste Management and the Sony Open to begin the season. Safe to say that he is hot right now.

His momentum is unmatched, and his long, towering drives have been a spectacle to watch. For these long-distance yardages at Riviera, I can see Gotterup doing very well.

Scottie Scheffler - 2nd place

The world’s best is doing the world’s best things. He is the best golfer on the planet right now, and there is no debate about it. He has had momentous comebacks this year, most notably at the Waste Management open where he had a horrid first two days of the tournament and was not in contention at all to win, and he ended up in 3rd place.

He has won the American Express and looks to continue to win in 2026. However, it is not coming in the form of the Genesis Invitational.

Sepp Straka - 1st place

This is a guy who missed the cut in his first tournament that he played in this year. Since then, he has been on the most upward trend possible. His strengths are exactly what Riviera demands. Specifically, his ability to control his drive on narrow courses.

He rarely finds himself in the rough. He will be coming out of the gates hot, and he will stay that way. The first shot off the tee is going to carry the most importance until the final putt in this tournament. That is why he is the most likely to win the Genesis Invitational.

Jacob Gold is a second-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email JRG6474@psu.edu.