2024 Genesis Invitational leaderboard, scores: Patrick Cantlay extends lead, Tiger Woods withdraws in Round 2

Cantlay shot a 6-under 65 to build a five-shot lead at Riviera Country Club on Friday

Tiger Woods' withdrawal from the second round of the 2024 Genesis Invitational stole all the headlines Friday, so perhaps it makes some sense that one of the most underrated presences on the PGA Tour occupies the top of the leaderboard. Patrick Cantlay expanded his overnight lead Friday at Riviera Country Club with a sensational bogey-free 6-under 65 to stand at 13 under and five clear of Jason Day, Mackenzie Hughes and Luke List. 

Cantlay's five-stroke margin at the halfway point matches the largest 36-hole lead in tournament history.

Cantlay, who opened with a 7-under 64, has had his way with Riviera throughout the years and it has trickled into this week. The former UCLA Bruin has clocked five top-20 finishes in his last six tournament appearances including a third-place finish a season ago. He has continued to play quality golf since, but the wins have not followed.

One of the most impressive all-around players on the PGA Tour, Cantlay's steadiness has not been rewarded with a trophy since the 2022 BMW Championship. Of those players who played at least 15 tournaments in the 2022-23 season, Cantlay ranked first in par-4 scoring, first in par-5 scoring and first in birdie average.

It's almost unfathomable to put up those statistics, have the killer instinct Cantlay does have and not run into a tournament win here or there. He seems to have finally run into one in the Pacific Palisades, and the world No. 7 looks keen on racing away with it with 36 to go.

The leader

1. Patrick Cantlay (-13)

It may not seem like it, but Cantlay's second round felt like a big one considering his start to the 2024 season. The former FedEx Cup champion has been in the mix after Round 1 in each tournament he has played only to see his name slowly drift down the leaderboard as the week progresses. At the Farmers Insurance Open, Cantlay started 65-73 en route to finishing outside the top 50. The following week at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am a similar story unfolded with opening rounds of 64-70 before finishing T11 in the shortened event. Instead of playing catch up and perhaps pushing the envelope, Cantlay can now play his steady game and let the field make the mistakes while they chase.

Other contenders

T2. Jason Day, Luke List, Mackenzie Hughes (-8)
5. Corey Conners (-7)
T6. Will Zalatoris, Xander Schauffele, Tom Hoge (-6)
T9. Tony Finau, Hideki Matsuyama (-5)

Day is a player who has had issues around Riviera in the past. Failing to finish inside the top 60 and missing three cuts across his first five starts in the Genesis Invitational, the Australian credits a switch in attitude to his new-found love for the par 71. Claiming a top-10 result last year, Day looks on well on his way to improving on this result as he is one of Cantlay's closest pursuers heading into the weekend.

"I think it's just a little bit of attitude definitely goes a long way," Day said about Riviera. "Obviously when you come here and you don't quite -- you aren't sharp off the tee and then you just -- like I said today, like if you're not quite sharp off the tee, you miss a lot of greens and if your short game's not kind of showing up, and these greens are a little tricky to read and they're fast, then that is a formula for like not a lot of success.

"But I think you kind of -- first and foremost, when you have results at a golf course, you have to try and change the mentality, then just try and change a few things. I feel like I've gained a lot more accuracy over the last few years, so that definitely helps obviously at this golf course."

Tiger among the early exits

Woods is the biggest name to not be around this weekend following his withdrawal during the second round due to illness, but he is hardly the only star to be missing from the second half of this tournament. The last two U.S. Open champions, Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark, fell on the wrong side of the cut number as neither were able to find their footing around Riviera despite having solid histories. 

Two-time PGA Championship winner, Justin Thomas, never looked comfortable either and is a disappointing early exit considering his strong start to 2024. Keegan Bradley, Chris Kirk and Sepp Straka are also among those players inside the top 30 of the Official World Golf Rankings to be packing their bags early.

"He started feeling some flu-like symptoms last night," said Rob McNamara, Tiger's longtime business partner and vice president of TGR Ventures. "[Tiger] Woke up this morning, they were worse than the night previous. He had a little bit of a fever and that, and was better during the warm-up, but then when he got out there and was walking and playing, he started feeling dizzy. Ultimately the doctors are saying he's got some -- potentially some type of flu and that he was dehydrated. He's been treated with an IV bag and he's doing much, much better and he'll be released on his own here soon."

2024 Genesis Invitational updated odds and picks

• Patrick Cantlay: 4/6
• Jason Day: 11-1
• Xander Schauffele: 14-1
• Luke List: 18-1
• Scottie Scheffler: 20-1
• Mackenzie Hughes: 30-1
• Will Zalatoris: 30-1
• Corey Conners: 30-1

Cantlay probably closes this thing out and his number is palatable, but if you want a flier there's a multiple-time PGA Tour winner with great history lurking. It may be difficult to stomach, but the 45-1 price tag on Tony Finau is intriguing. The big-hitting right hander may have found something with the putter Friday gaining more than one stroke on the greens and if that keeps up, the rest of his game is well-suited for Riviera. He has done just about everything but win at the Genesis Invitational throughout his career and he has set himself up to give another go.

Rick Gehman and Mark Immelman discuss Tiger's WD and the rest of Round 2 at Riviera. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 6:58 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Cantlay hopes for one more on par-5 17th

Cantlay stands at 12 under and four clear of the field and can make it much more difficult for his chasers if he adds another. He steps to the par-5 17th with a chance to stretch this to five and have only four players within six of his lead. It may not seem like much, but birdies like these add up when looking at a weekend deficit. 

[Feb 16, 2024 at 6:43 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

He's running downhill!

Wow, what an approach from Patrick Cantlay on the par-4 15th. From the rough, the leader hits his approach to 3 feet and pays it off with another birdie to reach 12 under. He is four clear of a trio of players in the clubhouse and will have chances coming in to push it even deeper.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 6:14 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Can Cantlay push the lead even deeper?

The overnight leader, Patrick Cantlay, is cruising through the most difficult stretch of Riviera and look to push his margin even wider. Cantlay stands at 11 under and three clear of Luke List, Mackenzie Hughes and Jason Day in the clubhouse. Each additional birdie will make the weekend more difficult for his pursuers.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 5:48 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Update from the grounds

[Feb 16, 2024 at 5:19 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Tiger Woods' WD due to illness

It is not his back but rather an illness that will keep Tiger Woods from competing in the second half of this tournament. According to multiple media members, there are a couple firetrucks and an ambulance on the scene at Riviera.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 4:37 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Tiger Woods done for the day

The back spasms appear to be too much for the cat. He seems to be done for the day through six holes and will be calling it quits. Woods was 2 over for the tournament and battling to make the cut. We will provide more once he hear from the 15-time major winner.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 4:16 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Tiger drops another

It may be close to panic time for Team Woods. Reports from the broadcast are suggesting he is not moving as swiftly as yesterday and he drops yet another shot on the par-4 5th. He stands at 2 over, 11 strokes behind Patrick Cantlay and outside the top 50 that are projected to make the cut. He only has until No. 11 to make up ground as the bulk of the back nine is proving difficult.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 3:58 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Justin Thomas moving in wrong direction

This has been a dreadful start for the former world No. 1. He starts 5-5-4-4 and is 2 over for the day and 3 over for the tournament. He is in danger of missing the cut if he doesn't do something soon. Meanwhile, Tiger gives back his opening birdie with a bogey on No. 4. He's at 1 over and 10 behind Patrick Cantlay.

[Feb 16, 2024 at 3:41 pm ET · Patrick McDonald]

Back-to-back pars

No harm, no foul for Tiger on Nos. 2-3. Back-to-back pars have Woods at 1 under for the day and even par for the tournament. He finds himself just inside the top 50 and nine off the pace of Jason Day who has one hole left. Those are important ranges to monitor given the cut line implications.