Pacific Palisades and Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles is hosting this week’s stellar field competing in the Genesis Invitational.

World Number 1 Dustin Johnson, with his 24 PGA Tour victories, along with his second major at the Masters last November to go along with his 2016 U.S. Open victory at Oakmont Country Club and a recent worldwide victory in the Saudi International, headlines a star-studded field. Jon Rahm, world No.2, is in the field, as are U.S, Open champion (Winged Foot) Bryson DeChambeau, who says he’s getting 8 to 9 hours sleep in preparation, smart in general, and ready for what he calls a “Bomber’s Paradise.” Waste Management Phoenix Open champ Brooks Koepka is also in the field. 13 time PGA Tour winner and 2017 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas, the rejuvenated Jordan Spieth, 2020 PGA champion at Harding Park in San Francisco, Collin Morikawa and 4 time major winner Rory McIlory are also in the field along with defending champion Adam Scott and 2014, ‘16 and ‘18 champ Bubba Watson. 2019 champ J.B. Holmes is competing, too. So should be a spectacular event. Young stallions Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland are also in the field as is consistent top 5 performer Xander Schauffele.

Last week’s champion at Pebble Beach, Daniel “Whata” Berger, withdrew due to back stiffness, but will be playing next week at the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at the Concession played at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, on the Florida Gulf Coast near Tampa. Berger sank an electric 18 foot eagle putt last Sunday at the par 5 18th to finish at -18, 2 shots clear of Maverick McNealy, to capture the trophy at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. There were no amateurs playing this year at Pebble Beach, and which was very nice. They just get in the way.

The WGC-Workday at the Concession is taking the place of the WGC-Mexico Championship in Mexico City due to COVID measures.

Key holes

The 315 yard 10th, par 4

A go for it hole for all the players with the majority of the players using a 3 wood. If the pin is in the middle or back right, players who drive it in the back bunker will have trouble getting up and down. Eagle is possible, birdie very possible, and so is double bogey. The signature hole on the course along with the par 3, 6th with a bunker in the middle of the green.

The 12th, 13th and 15th are challenging par 4’s measuring 475 yards and the 18th is a classic 475 yard par 4 finishing hole at Riviera with a blind tee shot to an elevated fairway, that is a tight driving area, and an approach to a narrow, lengthy green with trees guarding the right side. The Poa Annua greens will be stimping at around 12, pretty quick with 13 getting real slippery. But 12 is certainly challenging. And the Kikuya grass in the rough will be at 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Driving accuracy on the 7,100 yard Par 71 course is necessary, being a bomber like DJ and DeChambeau, JT and others are a major bonus along with strokes gained on approach being crucial, and, as always, the flat stick.

Weather

Really nice in Pacific Palisades. 69 Thursday, low 70’s Friday, low 70’s Saturday and 78 on Sunday with winds pretty minimal at 5 to 7, though they can be tricky at times coming off the Pacific though the course is a couple of miles from the ocean.

TV

Thursday-Friday, 11 AM-1 PM CT Golf Channel. 1-5 PM CT Golf Channel. Friday, 1-5 PM CT Golf Channel. Saturday 12-2 PM CT Golf, 2-5 PM CT, CBS. Sunday, 12-2 PM CT, Golf, 2-5:30 PM CT, CBS.

Winner

It’s hard to go against Dustin. He seems to win almost every time he tees it up with DeChambeau picking up the remains. But I’ll take the 28 year old from nearby Long Beach, California, by way of UCLA. He’s won 3 times on tour, including the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at Las Vegas in 2017, The Memorial Tournament in 2019 at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, and the 2020 Zozo Championship last October at nearby Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA. He finished tied 3rd last week at Pebble Beach. He also shot a 61 on Sunday at the American Express in January at PGA West in La Quinta, CA. and finished 1 shot back of champion Si Woo Kim. He played some terrific golf in the Presidents Cup in Australia, a U.S. comeback victory over the international team sans European players. I’ll take this stellar player to win at Riviera.

Patrick Cantlay

Sleeper Pick

I’m going to go with the 25 year old young stud from Mobile, Alabama by way of the University of Alabama. He, along with Trey Mullinax, were the best players on the 2013-14 consecutive national championship teams at Bama. He’s shown signs of being a factor on the pro circuit. I like,

Robby Shelton