2024 Genesis Invitational: First-Round Leader Odds, Picks & Predictions
Tiger Woods is back! The GOAT will tee it up competitively at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles this week for the first time since the Hero World Challenge. The Genesis Invitational tournament host will surely be the talk of the week and draw massive galleries, but I don’t see him being in the mix on Sunday. The best-case scenario should be making the cut and playing all four days. Maybe he catches lightning in a bottle, but there are far better options out there to back when you go to the window to place your bets.
Weather won’t be as much of a factor as it has in past weeks, but a record nine inches of rain fell in the Los Angeles area last week! Even though the drainage at Riviera is excellent, I expect conditions to be softer than usual, resulting in the course playing a bit longer.
Conditions aside, there’s some really great value on the board when looking at the odds for the first-round leader market. Let’s get right to it.
2024 Genesis Invitational Best First-Round Leader Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Harris English (60-1)
The Georgia native returned to Riviera in 2023 after a three-year absence and posted a T-12 finish, thanks to a final round 65. The 34-year-old already has three T-25 finishes this season and is coming off a solid week at the WM Phoenix Open. The Georgia Bulldog also ranks 24th in Total Driving this year. If English can keep his irons dialed in like last week, he could be atop the leaderboard Thursday night.
Adam Scott (35-1)
Just because you’re over 40 doesn’t mean you can’t still compete on the PGA Tour. 47-year-old Charley Hoffman is the latest example, losing to Nick Taylor in a playoff last week at the WM Phoenix Open. Adam Scott fits that description this week. The 43-year old Australian is a past champion here at Riviera, winning in 2020. He also has three T-10 finishes in his last three starts on the DP World Tour and posted a T-8 finish last week at TPC Scottsdale. Solid recent form and a feel for this week’s course make Scott a solid option to finish as the first-round leader.
Tom Hoge (60-1)
Another golfer in excellent form recently is Tom Hoge. The TCU alum has a pair of T-20 finishes in his last two starts and finished T-14 here a year ago. The North Carolina native is 10th in SG: Approach and 18th in SG: Proximity this season. If he can keep the ball in the fairway Thursday, there’s a good chance he’s on the first page of the leaderboard. All he needs is to get hot with his putter and backers could be heading to the window Thursday night to cash their first-round leader tickets.
If you’re looking for a longshot, take a swing at Lee Hodges, who currently sits at 90-1 and has played well here the last two years. Best of luck, and let’s cash some tickets!
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Tuesday: