2017 PGA Genesis Open Prediction and Picks
Ready to bet this weeks on the 2017 Genesis Open Odds? Riviera Country Club is Pacific Palisades, California will play host to the PGA pros this week when the 2014 Genesis Open, formerly the Northern Trust Open will be contested. Riviera CC plays to a par of 71 and stretches out to 7,322 yards with three par 5s and one of the best short drivable par 4s in the sport – the famed 10th hole.
2017 Genesis Open
When: February 16-19, 2017
Where: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California
Format: 72 holes – Stroke Play
Purse: 7,000,000
TV Coverage: Golf Channel, CBS
Defending Champion: Bubba Watson
Updated Sportsbook Bonuses For Today
Length has always been one of the main factors to look at here – with the rain expected the bombers will have an even bigger advantage this year.
A terrific all-around game will also be rewarded – the rough promises to be thick, iron play will be at a premium with the wet conditions and the smallish hard-to-hit greens threaten to be on the slow side.
With that in mind, who should we keep an extra eye on this week? Let’s break it down.
2017 Genesis Open Favorites:
Jordan Spieth +750
It wasn’t close last week – Spieth ran away from the pack at Pebble Beach and now has five straight top 10s to start his year – a streak of Win-T3-3rd-T9-Win is mighty impressive indeed.
He has two top 15s on this track since turning pro – a T12 in 2014 and a T4 in 2015 and enters this week absolutely on fire. Some may think a let-down is imminent – I’m not one of them!
Dustin Johnson +900
Has finished inside the top four at Riviera in four of his last five attempts including runner-up finishes in 2014 and 2015 – impressive! And he enters off a third place finish after starting slowly at Pebble Beach.
He also posted a runner-up a few weeks ago in Abu Dhabi. Johnson’s putter has been a bit of an issue so far this young season but he seemed to have turned that around last week – if he can drain a few he will be in contention.
Hideki Matsuyama +900
Hideki has been very good to me lately – I have correctly chosen him twice the last couple of months!
He took last week off after winning the WMPO the week before that and returns to a track he’s finished inside the top 25 in all three attempts – a T4 a couple of years ago included.
He has won five of his last nine starts overall and should be able to make some noise again this week. He’s tops on TOUR in strokes gained: around-the-green and sixth in greens in regulation and enters as perhaps the most confident player on the planet right now.
2017 Genesis Open Contenders:
Jason Day +1400
The world #1 has been somewhat quiet but enters off a good T5 at Pebble Beach – his back issues didn’t seem to be a problem last week and shouldn’t be this week!
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Day hasn’t won in nine months (shocking!) and has some work to do in order to keep his top spot – that alone should motivate him this week!
He has yet to finish inside the top 60 on this track although the last time he played here was 2012 – he is a much different guy now! Day is a threat every time he tees it up – period and this week is no different.
Adam Scott +2200
Won this tournament in 2005 and has also posted two runner-up finishes here including last year. His current form is good – top 14 or better in his last five worldwide starts – seven top fives in the last year.
He makes just his second start of 2017 (a T9 in the other) and is a good bet to tear up the pat 5s again en route to another quality finish.
Justin Thomas +2200
Will be out to avenge a missed cut at the WMPO which followed consecutive impressive wins – one of the hottest players on the planet before that MC.
He’s a bomber which will definitely help this week – the fact that he hasn’t finished inside the top 40 in two tries here shouldn’t be a concern.
He has seven top 25s in his last eight starts – consistent as they come and he ranks ninth in the new PGA TOUR season in strokes gained: putting. Expect Thomas to make some noise.
Sergio Garcia +2200
Arrives off a wire-to-wire win in Dubai a couple of weeks ago for his 2017 North American debut. He has three top 10s in this event (two T4s) and despite a rare missed cut in this track last year his history is terrific here.
Current form is good as well – along with that win two weeks ago he has finished inside the top 20 in five straight events. Sergio hits greens and raises the level of his game on the harder tracks.
With some momentum on his side I expect Sergio to be in the mix this week.
Justin Rose +2500
Hasn’t won on TOUR in two years but he has been playing well ahead of this week – a solo second at the Sony Open in Hawaii and in a tie for fourth at the Farmers Insurance Open.
He was OK at times last week en route to a T39 at Pebble Beach and has been good in his recent starts on this track – a T9 in 2011, a T12 in 2012 and a T16 last year. Current form and track history have Rose on my radar this week.
Bubba Watson +3300
The defending champ (he also won here in 2014) hasn’t done a whole lot lately but HAS to be on the list because of his ability to mash the ball and because of his stellar history here.
Phil Mickelson +4000
An intriguing +4000 this week has been good in 2017 outside of an ugly 44 on the back nine Sunday at Pebble Beach.
He is a two-time champ here and he has two runner-up finishes as well on this track – all in the span of seven years. It is his first appearance at this event since 2013 but arrives back in very good form to arguably his favorite track.
2017 Genesis Open Sleepers (+5000 or higher):
Charl Schwartzel +6000
Premier ball striker finished inside the top 5 on this track in 2013 and in 2014 – he had seven rounds in the 60s in those years.
He enters off an uncharacteristic missed cut in Malaysia last week but he did finish inside the top 5 in his last two events of 2016.
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He was seventh on TOUR last year in strokes gained: approach-the-green which should come in very handy this week.
Brendan Steele +6600
Started his season with a terrific win in the Safeway Open and enters this week having finished inside the top 20 in his last four starts including a T16 last time out at the WMPO.
He has become a premier ball striker and has made the cut five of six times he’s played here including top 15 finishes in 2014 and 2015. Current form and track history make Steele great value this week.
Jim Furyk +6600
Has finished inside the top 15 three of the last four times he’s played here. He was just OK last week en route to a T66 at Pebble Beach – track history is on his side although current form isn’t.
2017 Genesis Open Picks:
The pick this week is Dustin Johnson at +900. He has been inside the top 10 six of his nine starts on this track – five top 4s since 2010 and his third place finish last week at Pebble Beach was a terrific warm-up for this week.
My sleeper is Brendan Steele at +6600. His current for is terrific and his course history is nothing to sneeze at.
Length off the tee will be important this week – Steele’s game plays right into that fact.
Golf handicapper DAVE B weighs in each week with his top selections. Including top picks and sleepers!
Check back each week for your PGA golf gambling, handicapping info & free golf picks.
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