Preview & Picks: Genesis Invitational
Plus: Tiger Might Play Masters, AK Story, and More.
Josey Orr
February 18, 2026
Good Afternoon. Last week, we ran a poll asking if the PGA Championship should be moved back to August. A whopping 85% of you said yes. We will send our notes over to the TOUR immediately.
If I Only Had 5 Minutes With Most Golfers, I’d Change This
Over 25+ years of coaching, we’ve seen the same pattern again and again, golfers struggling with their driver not because of their swing, but because of something far simpler.
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Tiger Weighs In On Anthony Kim
Pretty good stuff from Tiger here.
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Preview & Picks: Genesis Invitational
It’s been a great start to the golf season so far.
We’ve seen Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler win, we’ve seen Chris Gotterup breakout with two wins, and last week we saw both Collin Morikawa and Anthony Kim end multi-year droughts.
It should get even better this week as we head to the iconic Riviera CC for the Genesis Invitational.
Word on the street (social media) is that if you polled TOUR players about which tournament stop is their favorite, it would be Riviera.
It was a major bummer last year to see the tournament moved to Torrey Pines due to the wild fires, but it’s great to see the community recovering and hosting the tournament again.
This year is Riviera’s 100th birthday, and yet the course still holds up well and provides a challenge for the best in the world.
Field Notes
Bet on iron play + putting. At this course, approach shots and putting matter most for scoring, more than driving.
Look for guys who are good with mid/long irons. Almost half of all approaches are from 150–200 yards, and there are plenty from 200+, so those yardage stats matter a lot.
Don’t panic about missed fairways. Accuracy is low, but penalties are rare, so a player can still contend if they miss some fairways—especially if they scramble well.
Typically, people who play well at Augusta National tend to also play well at Riviera.
Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Jon Rahm, and Adam Scott have all won both tournaments. Make of that what you will.
More below.
The Details
Previous Winners
How To Watch
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The featured hole for Thursday and Friday is No. 16
Weekly Bets: Genesis Invitational
We’ve partnered with Keith Stewart at Read The Line to share his weekly golf betting picks with the Caddyshanks crew. If you’re the type who enjoys breaking down matchups, spotting trends, and hunting for value, you’ll feel right at home in the RTL community. Join Here.
Keith Stewart’s Picks
Rory McIlroy (+1300 DraftKings)
Course conditions at Riviera will favor players who are peaking with their iron game, can score on Poa Annua, and can separate themselves with the driver. Hello, Rory McIlroy! McIlroy gained 6.8 strokes on approach at Pebble Beach and recorded a 17-under-par total with two sevens on his card. Rory’s short game was sharp, and he carded 25 sub-par scores for the week. Coming off the confidence Augusta gave him last year, I’m taking McIlroy to capture another career trophy that has eluded him.
Sepp Straka (+5000 Bet Rivers)
More and more, Sepp Straka is becoming a factor in signature series events. Straka won the Truist last year and just finished runner-up at Pebble Beach. What was even more impressive than second place was the manner in which Sepp achieved it. Straka gained significantly across all four major strokes-gained categories. Something that previous winners of the Genesis have done. An eighteenth at WM Phoenix, and a signature second, I’m taking a player who can hit fairways, lead the field in GIR, save par, and score on Poa greens.
Caddyshanks Picks
Patrick Cantlay (+2700 Fanduel)
Need a guy with strong approach play + putting stats, a strong course history, and good recent form? Patty Ice is your man.
Matt Fitzpatrick (+3300 Fanduel)
Fitz doesn’t have the course history here, but he does have the right kind of game to perform well at Riviera. He arrives with great recent form
Scottie Scheffler (+300 Fanduel)
You know what Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Tiger Woods have in common? None of them have ever won at Riviera. Maybe that changes this weekend.
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That’s A Wrap…
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Until next time,
Caddyshanks team.
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