The PGA Tour stays in California this week, after the delights last week of Pebble Beach, and this time it’s the Riviera Country Club which plays host to the Genesis Open.
This is a tough course, a real examination of the players’ abilities and it’s no surprise to see that major champions have a strong record here. In fact, of the 56 times Riviera has hosted the event a major winner has triumphed 33 times.
Defending champion, and winner of two of the last three years, is Bubba Watson. He clearly likes the course and can’t be ruled out, but Bubba is now 40 and we would prefer almost double the 20/1 he’s on offer.
Instead we’re going to look at the head of the betting, and Dustin Johnson. DJ has been hard to call so far this season, but he won around this course in 2017 and finished second in both 2014 and 2015. He disappointed last week on another course he loves, but he had been halfway around the world previously and it was a pro-am! We’ll forgive and take the 9/1.
Our second selection is a bit out of left field, and goes against the major winner principle, but his price just seems too good to ignore. Martin Laird missed the cut last week at Pebble Beach, but that meant he missed a lot of the terrible weather and arrives at an event he enjoys relatively fresh. He has finished tied ninth and eighth is the last two years but is quoted in triple digits. We’ll take a punt.
Recommendations:
Johnson to win, 1 pt, at 9/1, Paddy Power
Laird 0.5 pts each way at 125/1, 1/5 the odds for the first six places, Unibet
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