Lights, camera, ACTION! Who doesn’t dream of hanging out with the stars in L.A.? This week’s Genesis Open brings more than just actors, sports icons and reality TV stars to famed Riviera Country Club. 7 of the top 10 players in the world are in the field this week. Can any of them conquer the tree lined fairways and awkward greens? Winning scores average ~12 under par, but if the weather is cold, scoring becomes a challenge. In 2015, James Hahn won at 6 under and in 2012, Bill Haas claimed the trophy at 7 under (both in playoffs). The weather looks fair this week, so I expect some medium scores and a dramatic ending.
Pick of the Week: Bubba Watson
Bubba is always a wildcard, but his record here is impressive. Currently on a streak of winning each even-numbered year at Riviera, the defending champion is rounding into form. He finished T-4th at Scottsdale two weeks ago and hits an impressive 76% of greens this season. His putter is letting him down(-1.3 strokes/round), but with some good juju as the defending champion and a top-5 in his last event, look for Bubba to light it up.
Back to the Range Bro: Matt Kuchar
Kuchar’s been a force this year with two wins and a streak of 5 top-25s in a row heading into this week. He’s even had success at this venue the last three years with a T-8, T-22 and T-26. However, Mr. Consistency may be recovering from his final round 75 in Scottsdale and some poor press about his caddy wages from his win in Mexico. Kuch is always a solid pick, but i think his third week playing in a row will give him a quiet weekend.