The strongest field of the year is gathered in Los Angeles for the 2017 Genesis Open. It is loaded at the top and in depth. It features eight of the top 10 in the current world rankings and 16 of the top 25.
World No. 1 Jason Day +1300 makes his first visit to LA since 2012. Last week’s winner Jordan Spieth +800 is joined by Dustin Johnson +900 and Sergio Garcia +1850, fresh off his win in the Middle East. Adam Scott +1500 makes his first start on U.S. soil. Two-time winner this year Justin Thomas +2000 is also in the field. The list goes on and on.
Hideki Matsuyama +950 is aiming to make it two in-a-row after winning in Phoenix. Phil Mickelson +3250, Patrick Reed +3000, defending champion Bubba Watson +2550, Ryan Moore +5000 and Brooks Koepka +4000 all are scheduled to compete. The field is STRONG!
If you like the international players, they showed up as well. Justin Rose +2200, Thomas Pieters +9900, Francesco Molinari +7500, Charl Schwartzel +6050, Paul Casey +4400, Shane Lowry +7000, Graeme McDowell +12500 and Byeong Hun An +6000 headline that list.
Tiger Woods was suppose to play but as usual he had to withdraw due to a sore back or maybe it was a wounded ego. His foundation becomes the tournament’s primary beneficiary this year, directing proceeds to the Earl Woods Scholarship Program and other TWF college-access initiatives in Southern California.
The Course: Riviera Country Club is the host club and has been since the tournament started in 1929. Ben Hogan’s three wins in an 18-month span, two L.A. Opens and the 1948 U.S. Open earned Riviera the nickname “Hogan’s Alley.” The layout has a variety of of holes that make it a special track. Hole No. 10 is arguably the best short par-4 in the world and the par-3 sixth is famed for its bunker in the middle of the green.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel - Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. ET. Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. - Golf Channel, 3-6:00 p.m. - CBS. Sunday, 1-2:30 - Golf Channel, 3-6:30, CBS.
Current Genesis Open Golf Odds at BookMaker.eu
Jordan Spieth +800
Dustin Johnson +900
Hideki Matsuyama +950
Jason Day +1300
Adam Scott +1500
Sergio Garcia +1850
Justin Thomas +2000
Justin Rose +2200
Brandt Snedeker +2300
Bubba Watson +2550
Patrick Reed +3000
Phil Mickelson +3250
J.B. Holmes +3550
Brooks Koepka +4000
Paul Casey +4400
Bill Haas +4550
Matt Kuchar +4950
Ryan Moore +5000
Brendan Steele +5050
Branden Grace +5500
Byeong Hun An +6000
Charl Schwartzel +6050
Charles Howell III +6500
Jimmy Walker +6550
Marc Leishman +6600
Jim Furyk +6750
Shane Lowry +7000
Keegan Bradley +7200
Pat Perez +7350
Francesco Molinari +7500
Tony Finau +7700
Webb Simpson +8000
Adam Hadwin +8050
Harris English +8300
Kevin Chappell +8550
Martin Laird +8800
Billy Horschel +9000
Hudson Swafford +9250
Jason Kokrak +9500
Kevin Na +9750
Thomas Pieters +9900
Anirban Lahiri +10000
Brian Harman +10050
Graeme McDowell +12500
Ollie Schniederjans +12500
Steve Stricker +13000
Kelly Kraft +13500
FIELD - Any other Player +350
ODDS ANALYSIS
Jordan Spieth vs. Dustin Johnson
This will be one of the power matchups this week and Spieth will likely be a small favorite after his win last week at Pebble Beach, BUT Johnson is the play here. Spieth missed the cut last year that included an opening round career worst 79. Johnson is a horse for this course and always is in the top five, including last year where he tied for fourth. Johnson finished T2 in 2015 and solo second in 2014. Johnson is due and an easy winner against Spieth in the golf matchups.
SLEEPER: Martin Laird +8800 is playing solid golf week after week and makes for a nice play this week. The Scot has two top tens in his last three starts - T7 in Phoenix and T9 in Palm Springs. He finished T11 last year in LA and check this stat out - he’s played 21 of 23 rounds in 2017 at par or better, that included 17 straight rounds under par.
FADE: Patrick Reed +3000 continues to disappoint on the West Coast and his game is better suited for the East Coast where all but one of his five PGA Tour wins have taken place. Reed is an over-valued player and not worth a look in any format this week in LA.
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