Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 Genesis Invitational PrizePicks for Thursday — first-round plays for this week's PGA Tour event.
With the WM Phoenix Open in the rear-view mirror, we now look forward to this week's 2024 Genesis Invitational in Pacific Palisades, California. This is the third Signature Event of the season and features a 70-man field with a 36-hole cut to the top 50 plus ties (and any players within 10 shots of the lead will also play the weekend).
The Riviera Country Club will once again host this event, which it has done annually since 1973. Riviera is a par-71, 7,322-yard track designed by George C. Thomas that rewards long hitters and those who can scramble on difficult Poa annua greens.
Below, I give out my 2024 Genesis Invitational PrizePicks for Thursday.
2024 The Genesis Invitational PrizePicks Thursday Plays
Collin Morikawa: More Than 4.5 Birdies or Better
Collin Morikawa recorded five or more birdies in all four of his rounds at this tournament en route to a T6 finish last year. Not only that, but Morikawa also finished second here in 2022, so clearly Riviera suits his game as it rewards his elite approach play.
Considering his recent form, Morikawa is a great candidate to back once again at this venue. Entering this week, he has seven top-25 finishes over his past eight tournaments, including his win at the Zozo Championship.
Morikawa certainly isn't the longest hitter in the field, but he makes up for that here with his ability to scramble and handle these Poa annua greens. He gained true strokes putting over the field at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am en route to a T14 finish, a tournament also contested on Poa annua greens.
Finally, Morikawa ranks second on Tour this season in birdies per round with 5.9.
Check out our Action Network PrizePicks Promo Code and get in on the action.
Xander Schauffele: More Than 4.5 Birdies or Better
I am also looking to back Xander Schauffele, who ranks 20th on Tour in birdies per round with 5.2. Schauffele profiles well for this course because he ranks 34th in Scrambling percentage and 32nd in Driving Distance.
Last season, four of the top-five finishers here ranked in the top seven among the field in Scrambling percentage, the only metric in which that occurred. The reason we are catching a short number here is that Schauffele played poorly at Pebble Beach and then withdrew prior to last week's WM Phoenix Open with wrist soreness.
With that said, if the wrist was a real concern, then he wouldn't be playing this week. Furthermore, Schauffele has always played well at Riviera, going six-for-six on made cuts with four top-15 finishes.
Viktor Hovland: Less Than 4.5 Birdies or Better
I'm also fading reigning FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland. While I am very bullish on Hovland overall, there are multiple reasons to be concerned for his play this week.
First, he has seemingly gotten worse every outing since winning the Tour Championship. Following that win, he finished 10th at the Hero World Challenge, T22 at The Sentry and T58 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
We are trending in the wrong direction here, and his True Strokes Gained have decreased over each of those three rounds in the following categories: Around the Green, Approach the Green and Off the Tee.
It's not like just one part of his game isn't clicking — it's practically every part. Lastly, Hovland has recorded four or fewer birdies in three of his past four rounds at this course.
