It was a bit of a wacky day at Riviera Country Club for the first round of the 2024 Genesis Invitational. Tiger Woods hit a shank. Patrick Cantlay looked like he was going to shoot 61 ... then like he might shoot 81. Rory McIlroy made back-to-back 6s on the back nine. Players who have been playing great played terribly. Players who have been playing terribly played great.
There was a lot happening in Los Angeles.
After Round 1, though, Cantlay leads outright at 7 under. He's one up on a couple of Australians with some monster names in the chase pack. Let's take a look at his round (plus how strong it could have been) along with what you should be lookingfor Friday in the second round at Riviera.
The leader
1. Patrick Cantlay (-7): Here we are once again with Cantlay. He did this at the Farmers Insurance Open. He did it at Pebble Beach, too. Neither added up to anything by the end of the week, but man, he looked spectacular for most of his opening round Thursday. When Cantlay ran it to 8 under through the 14th hole, it sure seemed like 60 might be in play. Unfortunately for him, he hit multiple gallery members over the final few holes and shot about the worst 64 one can possibly shoot at Riviera.
The big trouble came on the par-3 16th hole where Cantlay hit a tree and made bogey. A reporter told him after the round that reporter had never seen anyone play from that short of the green.
Cantlay's response was humorous: "Neither have I."
"You know, I got up and down for bogey, it was a good up and down," he added. "Obviously a spot I've never been. I've been on most places on this golf course but started off today eight birdies and one bogey, great start."
It was a great start, but was it a sustainable one? Cantlay gained four shots on the field with his putter Thursday -- a pace he will not maintain -- but he also struck it great. This is a golf course that should fit his ball striking perfectly. He's played well here with five top 20s in his last six appearances. Now, just like the last few tournaments where he's started well, it's time to get a win.
Other contenders
T2. Cameron Davis, Luke List, Jason Day (-6)
T5. Tom Hoge, Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatoris (-5)
T8. Ben An, Adam Svensson (-4): Zalatoris is a surprise after his good-but-not-great start to 2024. As always, though, Spieth is the one to watch. He shot a shockingly normal 66 with just one bogey. He hit it great and putted well, too. Everything went so splendidly -- and close to chaos-free -- that I almost don't know what to do with myself!
This is a golf course Spieth loves, and he played it beautifully. A win for him early in the season -- especially at a place like Riviera -- would turn the volume up on his hype entering the Masters in April.
Spieth actually only has one top 25 since 2018 at this golf course, but that's also a period during which he's struggled in general. Has he figured it all out? Spieth probably doesn't even have the answer to that question. All we can say for sure is that there are unlikely to be any other one-bogey 66s from the three-time major winner this week at Riviera.
Scottie's putter is a problem
Send help. Scottie Scheffler is hitting it like Ben Hogan and getting absolutely no results. Stop me if you've heard this before, but Scheffler was again first in the field from tee to green yet a putrid 67th with his putter. Watching him is difficult at times. It looks as if he's hoping putts go in instead of believing that they will. Of course, if he continues to gain 4.7 strokes on the field from tee to green and give himself 10 (!) looks at birdie from 15 feet or shorter (one of those was a holed eagle from off the green), perhaps the putter won't even matter.
2024 Genesis Invitational updated odds, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
- Patrick Cantlay: 33/10
- Scottie Scheffler: 6-1
- Jordan Spieth: 10-1
- Jason Day: 11-1
- Will Zalatoris: 14-1
- Cam Davis: 14-1
- Ludvig Aberg: 18-1
Books are terrified of Aberg, which is sick. Give me Spieth here. I want to ride the roller coaster over the next three days, and 10-1 is a good number given Cantlay's recent fades and Scheffler's putting problems.