“It’s been unbelievable, really,” Penge said after signing his card at The Renaissance Club. “I wasn’t even in this event at the start of the year, so to be here and competing at this level, it’s just wild. I’ve loved every minute of it.”

The 27-year-old has steadily worked his way up the ranks, and his performance under pressure in Scotland solidified his place among the game’s rising stars.

Penge credits much of his recent success to experience gained playing on the downland courses of Goodwood, Worthing, and Dyke Golf Clubs in Sussex, as well as the challenging links at Prince’s in Kent growing up.

“Playing on those courses growing up really shapes your game. You get used to wind, firm turf, and tricky lies — all of which help massively when you get to places like this,” he said.

MAJOR PLAYER

Penge, who also impressed earlier this year with a strong showing at the PGA Championship, noted that confidence in his tee-to-green game has been building all season. He led the PGA field in that category, and the belief has only grown since.

“Even today, under that kind of pressure, it’s still a bit of an unknown,” he admitted. “But playing with Matt Fitzpatrick the last two rounds helped a lot. He’s someone I’ve always looked up to, and he really settled me down.”

With another strong result under his belt, Penge is aiming to carry this momentum into next week at The Open before taking a well-earned break.

“My wife Sophie probably deserves a rest she’s been holding the fort with our son Enzo, while I’ve been out here,” he smiled. “But I’ll try to ride this wave for a bit longer.”

The post Penge Shines in Scottish Open With Tied-Second Finish appeared first on Golf News.

New Dynamics, New Markets

Parallel tours and their emergence is directly impacting the way bettors are engaging with the sport of golf. Now there are more tournaments than ever, player fields are changing, formats are further shifting. Comprehending how and where to place bets is becoming more complex, but potentially more rewarding too, than ever before. Platforms covering a wide variety across emerging tours but also traditional ones are ever growing in demand. Thanks to this turn of events, resources like Golf betting in Betinasia are standing out, offering users selected access to expert insights, comparison of odds and a broad variety of events. With bettors looking to make well educated and strategic decisions in an ever evolving golf ecosystem, having a well rounded opinion of both the major tour action and the LIV is quite essential.

Player Loyalty and Performance Volatility

The performance and participation of players comes to add another level of complexity. There are quite a few high profile defections to LIV golf that redefine tournament rosters and this in turns means that some of the world’s best and top golfer names make less appearances and/or only in selected few major championships. This inconsistency may affect player form significantly and the outcomes of bets. On the positive side of things, bettors can gain a competitive edge by understanding the following player facts:

• Travel schedule
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The Rise of Global Interest

In an interesting turn of events thanks to this level of fragmentation, the reach of professional golf is expanding. PGA Tour is ever strong within North America while LIV’s international events showcase elite golf to a wider demographic. For bettors outside the span of classic markets, this increased level of admittance means more information and date, more live action and even more betting opportunities.

Conclusion: Betting on Golf’s Evolving Future

The transformation of golf is certainly somewhat controversial but for bettors it may also prove inspiring and invigorating. As the landscape continues to redefine itself, bettors able to adapt swiftly to the changes and leverage trustworthy platforms will gain a competitive advantage in regards to the game’s divided but also exciting fut

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Rory, you’re a four-time winner of the Truist Championship, but at Quail Hollow Golf Club, and this year we’re at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Can you open up with some thoughts about defending at this historic course?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, the last two times I’ve won the Truist Championship, I haven’t been able to defend on the same golf course the next year. We won in ’21 and then played Potomac, and won last year and then we’re here.

So it doesn’t quite feel like a defense, but it’s good to be here. It’s always at this stage of my career, it’s cool to come to new venues, see new golf courses, and do new things.

It’s been nice to play this golf course. I’ve heard a lot about this golf course, and to play it over the last couple days has been cool. I’m trying to learn a little bit about it and trying to come up with a strategy to play it.

Yeah, good to be here. First week, I guess, as an individual coming back and playing over the last few weeks. I’m excited to get back to being a golfer. It’s nice to get back into the routine again and get back to what I know how to do.

Q. You had a chance to play nine holes this morning. Can you just share a little bit more about maybe what’s standing out to you at this golf course?

RORY MCILROY: I played the back nine yesterday. I played the front nine today. It’s very similar to a lot of these old school courses that have been renovated over the past few years. A lot of trees have been taken out. The green complexes are, for me, the interesting thing about the golf course.

It sort of to me feels like a smaller version of Oak Hill, not a lot of strategy off the tee because there’s no real hazards. There’s some fairway bunkers, but if you avoid those, the rough’s not that long so it’s not a huge penalty.

A little simple off the tee, I guess, is the best way to describe it, but making sure with the second shots that you’re below the hole and trying to get to learn the greens a little bit more. Yeah, sort of a smaller, shorter version of Oak Hill is sort of how I see the course.

Q. Have you ever played much cricket?

RORY MCILROY: I played a little bit.

Q. Bat or bowl?

RORY MCILROY: A bit of both actually. I played a little bit at my — at Sullivan, which is the school I went to. Yeah, I was — I actually preferred bowling than batting. I never really wanted to get hit by the ball.

Q. You just implied there in your opening that you have your business hat back on. Are you keen after all the celebrating to kick back in now?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I don’t even think that — it’s not the — it’s not even the celebrating, it’s almost like the obligations that you have afterwards.

I wanted to go home and see my folks after, and then that was nice. But then having to play straight after in New Orleans, which is a different week and a fun week and I didn’t feel like I really had to prepare all that much. I could lean on Shane a little bit when I needed to.

But especially last week, I had Michael Bannon in town. We practiced for three days — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday — but then I was up in New York for three days doing a few bits and pieces. So when I got back home and sort of got back more into my real routine Sunday, Monday, coming up here, it feels more — you know, that period is sort of behind me, and I’m looking forward to the next few months.

Q. You said it’s nice at this stage of your career to come to a new course, a new place. You talked a little bit about it just now, but what kind of stands out to you both on the course, on the area? And what’s the importance for the TOUR to come to new places?

RORY MCILROY: Look, Philadelphia is one of the best places in the U.S. for golf. There’s so many great courses around here. We’ve got — we’re playing the PGA at Aronimink next year. We’re playing the U.S. Open in ’30 at Merion. There’s a lot of great golf in this area.

It’s a beautiful spot. I feel like we don’t play enough tournaments in the Northeast, but a lot of the Northeast golf clubs are smaller venues like this, and just with how big these tournaments have become over the years, it’s very hard for a golf course like this to hold a big tournament. The logistical problems that that causes is the main issue.

As a golf course, it’s — look, I — it’s an older course that’s been renovated, and I think they’ve done a really good job with it. It’s just it was renovated, I don’t know, ten or I don’t know how many years ago, but it’s not like a brand new renovation.

I think, when it was renovated, it probably would have held up to the distances that were being hit, but even now ten years on, I feel like every par-4 out there is like 430, 440. They sort of feel like they’re 40 or 50 yards than what they need to be. Still, it’s a cool track to play.

Q. Literally around the world millions of people are wondering is this guy ever going to win the Masters? There was so much emotion vested in it. In your own mind, did you always have faith you would win it?

RORY MCILROY: I always had hope. It’s not as if I — I wasn’t going to show up at Augusta and feel like I couldn’t win. The week that I feel like that, I’ll go up there for the Champions Dinner and swan around in my green jacket, but I won’t be playing.

Yeah, I always had hope. I always felt like I had the game. And like I think, as everyone saw on that back nine on Sunday, it was about getting over — I don’t know what the right phrase is, but defeating my own mind was sort of the big thing for me and getting over that hurdle.

Look, I’m just glad that it’s done. I don’t want to ever have to go back to that Sunday afternoon again. I’m glad that I finished the way I did, and we can all move on with our lives.

Q. Did you always imagine the idea of putting on that green coat? Was that clear in your mind?

RORY MCILROY: No, that wasn’t really — to me, whenever I think about these things, I think about the golf. I think about the golf. I think about the sense of satisfaction of winning the tournaments.

No, I never imagined the Butler Cabin ceremony. I never imagined all the things. I imagined hitting the shots I needed to hit to win the golf tournament.

Q. Rory, you were talking a couple weeks ago how you wanted a club that carried 300 yards to be short of some necks in fairways. Is this a golf course that you’re still looking for that club, or is this a golf course where it’s going to be open season, hit driver everywhere?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, you can send it. Every bunker seems to be about 300 to 310 to carry, which is thankfully fine. There’s one bunker on 9 that’s 331, but it’s down like 10, so it’s like 320 equivalent. That’s the longest one to try to get over. In good conditions I can, if it’s calm or a little bit of help.

Yeah, it’s basically open season. The way — I go back to Oak Hill a couple years ago at the PGA, and I tried to play the golf course strategically over the first couple of days, and I just realized that these new renovated old school courses, like the strategy is just hit driver everywhere and then figure it out from there. That’s sort of the strategy of this place this week.

Q. Is that still a club you’re looking for for the rest of the summer?

RORY MCILROY: For certain courses, I think it is, but I’ve always been apprehensive to just put a club in for a certain week. I like to get used to clubs. I know the characteristics of my 3-wood. I’ve been using that for over a year. Then I know the characteristics of my 5-wood. I know that, if anything, I’ll miss my 3-wood a little bit to the right, and if anything, I’ll miss my 5-wood a little bit to the left.

Every club has its own personality, and I think it takes time to learn what that personality is. So I’m pretty averse to changing a lot.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the week going home after the Masters? What did you do? How was that experience? Did it help you recharge? I think Poppy might have been with you. How was that?

RORY MCILROY: Yeah, we all went over as a family — Poppy, Erica, and I — firstly to London to see our new house there that we’ve been building for the last couple years. So that was fun to see that. Then we spent the weekend in Northern Ireland. I wanted to see my folks and sort of my immediate family and Michael Bannon as well.

We did that. Look, it was amazing going home. I didn’t want any fanfare. I didn’t want to — I tried to keep it as private as possible. I just wanted to see my parents and the people that were closest to me, and we had a really nice two days.

With my dad, like I never get that emotional with my dad. It was great. It was great to see him. Then when I saw my mom, I — yeah, we were both a mess for a few minutes.

Look, as an only child, I have a bond. I’m lucky, and I know a lot of people feel this, that they have a close bond with their parents, but I think as time goes on and I’m getting a little older, I realize that they’re not going to be around forever. It means even more that they were still around to be able to see me complete the slam and fulfill those dreams.

Q.  Having just lived that yourself, how much does that weigh into what you’re thinking about versus just trying to win another major championship and let the grand slam be a by-product?

RORY MCILROY: It’s hard, I think, for Jordan having to do — you have to go back to the same tournament every year for Jordan, but not the same golf course. I think it’s a little bit of a different — it’s a bit of a different proposition for him rather than me having to go back to the same venue every year and trying to, I guess, do that as well.

As much as you try to get yourself in the right frame of mind to just try to win the golf tournament and then let everything else happen, it’s in there. Consciously or subconsciously, you feel that.

I said this to people, the worst I felt on Sunday at Augusta was probably when I held the birdie putt on 10 to go 4 ahead because I’m like, oh, I really can’t mess this up now. There’s that pressure.

You know that you’re not just trying to win another tournament, you’re trying to become part of history, and that has a certain weight to it. I’ve certainly felt that at Augusta over the years. I’m sure Jordan has felt that a bit going into each PGA that he’s had a chance to do the same thing.

Q. You mentioned things getting back to normal, but next week you’re going to arrive at a major for the first time in ten years without questions of the drought hanging over you. I’m curious, as things have settled and you approach the major, how do you feel differently now that that question’s no longer there?

RORY MCILROY: I think there’s a few things. I’m obviously going to feel more comfortable and a lot less pressure, and I’m also going back to a venue that I love. It’s nothing but positive vibes going in there next week with what happened a few weeks ago and then with my history there and how well I’ve played at Quail.

Yeah, it probably will feel a little bit different. I probably won’t be quite as on edge as I have been for the last few years when I’ve been at major championships. I’ll probably be a little bit better to be around for my family, and I’ll be a little more relaxed. I think overall it will be a good thing.

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Q. You just captured your 14th PGA victory, first of the season, and here at the Byron Nelson where you made your PGA TOUR debut. What does it feel like?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It’s pretty special. This tournament means a lot to me. I grew up coming here to watch. It’s very special to have won this tournament.

Yeah, I don’t really know how to describe the feeling other than it’s really fun to be able to play here in my hometown in front of the hometown fans. It was a really fun week, really special week, and I definitely enjoyed it.

Q. A historic wire-to-wire win, entered the final round with an eight-shot lead. Tell me about thoughts coming into the final round and pushing.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: This is a golf course where you can kind of make a run, and I knew that I couldn’t just coast to the finish line today. I knew I had to put together a good round.

Let’s say I played super safe today and shot even par, Erik would have chased me down there. I knew I had to get out and make some birdies. Did a good job on the front nine and was able to play some consistent golf here. I made the mistake on 3, but responded really well with a bunch of birdies after that.

All together, a good week.

Q. In the middle of addressing the fans, you got choked up. I was just kind of wondering what was it that entered your head that caused you to have those feelings?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: When I think about this tournament, I think about a lot of different stuff. I grew up coming to watch it. This was my first start on the PGA TOUR when I was in high school. The girl I was dating at the time is now my wife. We have one son. My sister was caddieing for me at the time. She was here today. She has two kids.

My family was all able to be here, and it was just really, really special memories, and I think at times it all comes crashing down to me at once. We have a lot of great memories as kids coming to watch this tournament. I just dreamed to be able to play in it, and it’s more of a dream to be able to win it.

I never really got this far to be honest with you. I always just dreamed of playing golf on the PGA TOUR. I would come out on the driving range and watch these guys practice, hitting their brand new range balls. That’s all I wanted to do was come out here and play a golf course that was in great shape and compete on the best golf courses in the world against the best players.

It really is a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice from a lot of the people that I have around me, and my family is obviously the starter for that. Yeah, I guess when my family is here, I always tend to get a bit emotional.

Q. Scottie, pardon me if I didn’t dig this up in research, but in 2010, you’re 13. Were you here when Jordan sort of did his thing as a 16-year-old or not? Do you remember?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I’m sure I was here. I would always like to come to the tournament and watch. I would come to this tournament, and I would typically tried to go to Colonial a bit as well. Colonial was a little bit farther for us. Sometimes after going to Byron, I would get the golf bug and want to go out and practice.

I think, when you come here as a kid and you see the guys hit balls on the driving range and see what they do on the golf course, they’re all so talented. I just wanted to be like them. I think after coming to this tournament for a couple days, I would probably be hard-core practicing for the next week or two.

Q. Is there a favorite memory that stands out as a kid?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Favorite memory, I’m not really sure. I have difficulty remembering specific instances, but I definitely remember coming out and sitting on the driving range a lot. I always liked to try to go to the driving range because that’s where you could watch the most golf. I always wanted to come to practice rounds because there would be nobody out here and it was always a lot more relaxed. You could see guys hit all kinds of shots.

I think the lasting memory I have as a kid was just being able to play in the tournament and what it meant to me at the time. It really inspired me to come out here and try to do this for a living even more.

I grew up watching guys that played on the PGA TOUR at Royal Oaks and was inspired by them. Coming out here and being able to play in this tournament, it really fired me up to come out here and try to do this for a living.

Q. Are you going to give Jordan grief about winning this tournament before he did, or are you going to go easy on him?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think I’ll take it easy on him.

Q. Scottie, did you see Tiger play out here? Did you ever come out here and watch Tiger play at the Nelson?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I’m not really sure. I did come out and watch, I think, in the years in which he was here, but I don’t have specific memories of watching him.

Q. As players, you’re always onto the next because it’s an ongoing thing. You’re not playing next week, you’re at home. I was wondering what you had in mind for a celebration. Go over to Royal Oaks with the hamburger guys, or what have you got planned for a celebration?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: That’s a good question. I don’t know what we’re going to do for a celebration. I know we’ll eat good food, hopefully tonight, and we’ll push into Bennett’s bedtime little bit, but we’ll see. We’ll definitely celebrate. Being here at home is pretty nice.

A lot of times when you finish a tournament, you’ve got to catch a flight home. It’s really nice to be able to hop in the car and be in my own bed tonight.

Q. Last year Rory talked about how you inspired him, and seeing what you did, that really kind of pushed him. Now Rory has won THE PLAYERS, which you did, and the Masters, which you did. Has Rory inspired you this year?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think any time somebody has beaten any of us out here, I think we’re all — I guess you could say inspired, but I think we’re all fired up to come out here and compete. I think that’s what’s great about our game. Week in and week out, we get to come out here and compete. This week I was the best player. I have the week off, and we’ll see the week after who is the best player at the PGA.

Rory has been playing some tremendous golf this year. The career grand slam was really special to watch. I was glad to be able to be there for it. I think any time you’re getting beat, you’re always fired up just a little bit extra to go out and practice.

I feel like my game is trending in a good direction. I’m excited to start the rest of the season.

Q. Scottie, I wanted to ask you, I was out watching you today from a distance because of the crowds were huge. I was just blown away by your golf. It was kind of a strange week. You had like a ten-hour round on Friday, and then you played in the dark last night. Is it just — describe what it’s like to be playing so well and ahead and how you stay in the moment. Did you finally let your mind wander a little bit on the last couple of holes?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Maybe on the last couple of holes. This is a golf course where there is some trouble. There’s water coming down the stretch. With the heavy rough, you can make some mistakes. There’s always birdie opportunities as well. I never really felt like my lead was too comfortable. I always tried to keep pushing, hitting good shots.

Really I felt like — in ’22 at the Masters, I would say I lost focus on the 18th green and four-putted. So if I was to start looking around and looking at the crowd and doing all the different things out on the golf course, I’d probably start hitting golf shots offline and start screwing it up and do silly things out there. I did my best to stay focused. I kept being committed to each shot and tried to shoot the best score I could today.

Maybe on 17 and 18, maybe the frustration from making bogey on 17, it was almost more like going down 18, I’ll try to soak this in a little bit more. At the end of the day, I was just trying to be committed out there. It was a lot of fun for me to be able to play in front of the home crowd, and it was a really special week.

Q. This is unique to have the Korean letters on the trophy, and they will actually change the gold letters to your name, the champion’s name. How do you feel about this trophy? And then you will have the name with the other champions.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think it’s a really cool trophy. I’m proud to be on this as well. I’m definitely going to have Si Woo teach me a little Korean in order for me to be able to read it.

Yeah, like I said out there, I’m really thankful for CJ’s support of this event. This event means a lot to me and means a lot to our community. CJ has done a great job sponsoring this event and being a great partner for the club here. We’re really thankful for their support of this event and the PGA TOUR.

Q. I heard from the chef on Friday you ate two meals on Friday when you were waiting long. Then he called to the chef and give them the autograph. How come you do that for him? To express your thanks for the chef or something?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: The food was really good. I did have a few plates on Friday. Thanks for letting everybody know that. It was a long rain delay, I will say that.

The food was really good. There was like 20-something chefs out there cooking a bunch of food. They were working really hard this week. A few of them came out and asked me for an autograph. I’m not going to turn down someone who’s been serving me free food all week, especially food that was that good. I had a lot of Korean food this week, and it was all really good.

I had a lot of that short rib and then some vegetables. I had some good grilled chicken. Then I had the spicy chicken, which was some fried chicken. I had probably a bit too much of that this week, but it was pretty good.

Q. Scottie, we talked to Erik earlier when he finished, and he said that, when you holed that putt on 9, he just kind of shook his head because he was in there close. Did you guys exchange looks at that point?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I do remember walking off the green like towards my bag, and he was kind of just like standing there, and I could like feel him looking at me. I kind of just looked up and smiled at him, and he just smiled back.

I knew he was going to come out and have a good day. He’s a really good player. He’s an extremely hard worker. Like even when we sat down in scoring, I think he liked — he saw the way I hit the bunker shot on 18, and I think he liked something about it because he asked me, hey, what club do you use? He’s always trying to get better, and he works really hard.

He’s a good buddy of mine. I played a lot with him when I first came out on TOUR, and he’s a super nice guy.

He had a really good front nine. It was going to take something special for him today in order to catch me. I think he did his best to put up a special round. I just played really well as well.

His game is in a good spot, and this definitely won’t be the last time you see him up on the leaderboard.

Q. Does it irritate you at all that he beat you by a shot over the weekend?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Didn’t know that.

Q. Doesn’t sound like it does. I wanted to ask you about the shot at 17, the chip shot. What was your reaction when that happened?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: The first or the second?

Q. The first one. And the second one. You can talk about that too.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I had a really weird lie in there. I was trying to play a little low shot. I thought I was going to come — with a 56 degree, I thought I was going to come out clean even through the weird lie and just didn’t. That’s about it.

Q. For the top players in the world, the timing of this tournament doesn’t come at a great time. You have a big event next week with the PGA. So it takes — it is your hometown tournament, but it takes quite a commitment for you to play it. I just wonder if you’re cognizant of just the fact that you played it and now the Number 1 player in the world has won this tournament, how it raises the stature of this tournament at a really critical time for the tournament?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: When I think about this tournament, I think about Mr. Nelson. I think about what he did for the game of golf. He was a man of faith, and he was a great person as well off the golf course. He was a person that I’ve read a lot about. I’ve had the opportunity to meet him a few times when I was a kid, and I know a lot about him. He was a tremendous player and a tremendous person. So we look up to him in a variety of ways.

I’m proud to be here supporting his tournament and his legacy. We have some great legacy tournaments on the PGA TOUR. I believe that Mr. Nelson also did a lot for the PGA TOUR. For his tournament to have a lasting legacy here, not only in Dallas but on the PGA TOUR as well, I think is really important.

When I grew up wanting to play in this tournament, I never really dreamed of being the Number 1 player in the world, I never thought about that stuff, but I hope it does well for the tournament. I was proud to be able to support it this year.

It’s a tough time of year overall. When you get into the heart of the season, there’s major championships and the signature events. It’s a busy time. You kind of have to pick and choose your schedule.

I would love to play every week on TOUR. We have so many great tournaments. You have to pick and choose. This was a tournament this year that I really wanted to be a part of. I’m going to take next week off and get some rest and get ready for the PGA Championship.

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Q. I know you would have liked to have won before this, but I know this place is super special to you and a great place to get this done. If we can get some comments.

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, thank you. This is a golf course and a place that I love. I’ve been fortunate to play a junior tournament here, the Junior Heritage.

I feel like it’s a golf course that fits my game or it’s a place that I really enjoy to play because I think it’s a place that rewards good golf, but it can really, really penalise you and you can make bogeys so fast if you get out of position.

I was really proud today of just staying patient and kind of plotting our way along, and yeah, I feel like winning on a golf course like this is a pretty cool thing to add to your resume. Not that I wouldn’t have taken one wherever I could get it, and still will, but it’s a great feeling.

Q. Take us through the putt, the first hole, first playoff hole, and also to win with Jillian and Molly there which I know is super special.

JUSTIN THOMAS: For sure, for sure. Unfortunately we had the disappointing walk together as a family in Tampa after I had a couple-shot lead there with a couple holes to go and didn’t have a good finish, and Viktor winning there.

I feel like I used a lot of that as kind of momentum or just a — it build on and motivation, if you will. So it was great to have them there behind the green and be able to enjoy that win and celebrate with them. The joy and excitement it brought to me to be able to see them after the putt went in and even walking up to the green was something I definitely didn’t think I would feel in the past.

But the putt in the playoff was a putt I feel like I’d seen in the past. It’s kind of a funky little pin. If you try to play too much break, it seems like it kind of stays out. But more than anything, like I did all weekend, I just felt like I had my read a little bit outside the left of it being straight and falling right, and I just committed to that and really tried to put a good stroke with good speed on it, and it looked good the whole way.

Q. More relief or more joy?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I think joy. I think there’s definitely some relief in there, but it was — when the ball went in, it was pure joy. It was excitement and happy, but yeah, after I kind of had that interaction with Joe, it was just looking around and it was joy. I just was so happy. I couldn’t stop smiling.

Q. You know you dropped your putter before the ball went in, right?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I did?

Q. Given your career path the last three years and all we’ve talked about, what was the hardest part? Was it working through that or waiting on today? Was it finding the key or waiting for today?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I don’t know. I think the hard part about it is it’s just really hard to win. I feel like I’ve been playing well enough to win for a couple years, but just because you feel that way and you are, obviously that doesn’t mean that you’re going to.

Obviously ’23 was tough and I was trying to work my way through it and get out of that, but it definitely — I feel like I was putting more pressure on myself even last year to win than I was this year, and I just feel like my game is in such a better place and in a good spot to where I’m just really trying as hard as I can to get myself in a place mentally of just trusting and playing and just committing to what I’m doing and having the belief that it’s going to be good enough the more often I get myself there, and I’ve done that a couple times this year and haven’t been able to close it out.

Even knowing in the playoff, it was like, obviously I planned and hoped and wanted to win, but if it doesn’t we’re just going to keep plugging and try to put ourselves there the next time.

Q. You had obviously played much better golf last year compared to what you did in 2023 and great golf here. Did you feel at all like, still, you needed a win to feel that bad stretch could be actually kind of put to bed and behind you?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I’d say so. I mean, I think it was the last thing missing, if you will. I don’t know. It’s hard to say because obviously careers are so long and there’s so much up and down and lots going on that you never know what point of your career you’re at until it’s over. At least for me, I felt like it was the last thing that I needed to do for my own well-being.

I unfortunately but also fortunately had been long enough without winning that I wasn’t getting the same question every week. It was just kind of like it’s so far in the past, we’ve got other things we can talk about type thing.

Yeah, I’m way, way, way more happy for myself than I am of anything in that regard, of not having to deal with that or anything anymore.

Q. I was talking to Jordan, and he said he saw you out here grinding on Monday, day after the Masters. What were you working on?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Just trying to sharpen things up. Last week I felt like was weird at Augusta. I hit some really, really good shots and then I just hit some good shots. I felt like there wasn’t really anything in between. Then again when sitting and looking back at the week, I tried to be reasonable with myself and it was very clearly not a normal week, with the very unfortunate situation with Rev and his back going out and then not knowing what I’m going to do for a caddie and then figuring out Tuesday Joe could come and then us having nine holes together and pretty much like on the fly and on the go figuring out how it’s going and then also trying to play well.

I gave myself a little bit of grace once it was over, but that round I played on Sunday on the back nine and birdieing the last two holes, nobody would pay — they have no reason to pay attention to it, especially with what happened on Sunday at Augusta.

It’s something for us as players, we take a lot of pride in, and I felt like it was easy to take the day off but just needed a little bit that I felt like if I could just sharpen some things up and really come into a week at a place that I loved, prepared and ready to go, then we could have a chance to win this week.

Q. Wanted to ask, as you came into the final round, did you think you had an idea of how those greens were moving with the ball and across the grain and stuff like that?

JUSTIN THOMAS: A little bit. It was so fun playing this place like this. Obviously this isn’t normal circumstances of them — at least to my understanding, kind of tearing them up — I don’t know if it’s tomorrow or soon, but they could let the greens go.

It just was so hard to get the ball close to the hole. I kind of was talking to my dad last night about that. I played well yesterday. I just kept having numbers and clubs or angles that a really good shot was 20, 25 feet or it was a club that I couldn’t quite get to the hole but the other one wasn’t going to have enough spin to stop near the hole and it was going to go past, and when you get at places like this, it really is just about being patient and kind of picking the spots when you have them.

I felt like we had a good idea of how the course was playing, and it was almost kind of like hitting a tee shot, getting out there, assessing, okay, this is a pin we can go after, this is a pin we can’t, and then just being aggressive to those conservative targets, if you will.

Q. You may have just answered this, but beyond the playoff hole, what do you feel like you did the best today? Was it just patience and staying where your feet are at the moment?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Probably. But man, I putted the ball beautifully today. I played really, really well. Tee to green I didn’t really hit very many what I felt like bad shots. It’s just so fun stepping up on holes like 17, although it would be a 9-iron, but it’s got to be hit perfectly to get in that little window and land it where you want to land it and executing those kind of shots, and even missing that putt on 17. But that putt is breaking five feet and so downhill, and hitting it exactly how I wanted and it almost going in, I felt like I had control of everything.

It never felt like I needed to force things out there or was hoping things were happening. I just was kind of like, let’s just keep playing and I’ll make birdies when I can. The patience was great, but those par putts and putts I made on the front nine were huge for my momentum and keeping them.

Q. Your daughter Molly is not old enough to where she’ll remember this, but in 10 years from now, what are the memories or the moments that stick out that you’re going to look back on and tell her about?

JUSTIN THOMAS: From today?

Q. Yeah.

JUSTIN THOMAS: Just having her here, having her and Jill here. Just seeing them walking up 18 green even in regulation, I had to look away because when you’re out there in the moment, you’re focused on what you’re doing.

It’s business. I’m trying to execute and do what I’m doing and trying to win a golf tournament, and just walking up there and seeing them and not knowing what Andrew did on 17 and I’m obviously trying to figure out how I’m going to either make this putt and also two-putt it, and it’s hard to not start thinking about what could be when I see them, so that’s where I had to kind of put my head down and take a deep breath because it is, that’s when I feel like I can get into I want this so bad for us.

How unbelievable my wife Jill has been and just being a rock star and supporting. I just would tell her how much fun it was for us to do this as a family, I’d say.

Q. Those putts you holed from 5 through 8, would you big were those in the scheme of the whole day?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Huge. I’d say 4 through 8, as well.

Q. What happened on 4?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I made like an eight-footer for par. They were massive. It was something I felt — I remembered specifically telling myself in Tampa that starting a little back or being in the position I was going into Sunday, if I could go bogey-free, I felt like that was huge in the sense of most likely other guys are going to make some bogeys, whether it be one or multiple. Not everyone is going to go bogey free.

I felt like I put a lot of emphasis on that and playing smart and picking my spots of, like, if I can go bogey free, I feel like that’s really going to put me in position.

So making those putts and also making them with conviction and in the middle and how I wanted the speed I wanted, it just is — they’re huge for confidence because, like Joe kept saying, he’s like, just put the ball in the fairway and put it on the green type of thing. You’re rolling it so well; start making some putts for birdie instead of for par.

Who knows if I don’t make those putts on 4, 5, yeah, 6, 7, 8, it’s a totally, totally different day and the then I have to start pressing on the back nine versus just staying patient.

Q. I’m curious about the 7-iron on 8. What did you have there and where did you hit it?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, that was a steal, to be honest, because I had just pulled my tee shot. I actually don’t know how the ball really did that because I had mud on the left side of it, and I needed to hit a little bit of a low draw.

It’s actually a pin that I feel like you can get close to just because of how firm the greens were, and it all kind of funnels to it. If you can just get it on the green, it does funnel to the pin.

But given the mud on the ball, it really was luck. It was a guess. I’m like, I need to — I had plenty of distance to get there with an 8-iron, but I felt like if I could knock down a 7-iron to where if the mud did take it, at least it would get on the ground before it got to the people versus if an 8-iron getting up in the air, if the mud took it, it could fly over the people and who knows what could happen.

That’s another one I feel like of me just kind of trusting the millions of golf shots I’ve hit and just seeing the amount of mud and just guessing it’s going to move a little bit and I just kind of turned the club face down.

I’m not trying to get my aim in a certain spot or swing a certain direction or whatever it is. I’m just kind of looking up and I’m just trying to be more of an athlete type thing and just hit and accept where it goes.

I was very fortunate that it went to where it did.

Q. Statistically this is the best you’ve putted in years. What’s behind the improvement that you’ve seen?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I’d say I told Todd this a couple days ago, we were talking about it, it just is — obviously it’s a lot of work and time spent on it, but a huge — as funny as it is, a huge help.

I called Xander at the end of last year because I think he’s one of the best putters in fundamentals and not just putting but everything and I was just like, can I just pick your brain for like two or three hours, just talk to you about putting.

So he came out with me, and he just was asking me a bunch of different questions. You guys obviously know Xander, but he doesn’t leave any box unchecked.

He’s going to — like he said that day, he’s like, if it has anything to do with you potentially improving in golf, I’ve probably done it or tried it.

So I just was talking to him about this process and how he reads greens and how he sees things and his practice and everything, and it honestly was just being with him, and he would kind of ask something and I was like, yeah, I used to do that.

And then he was like, well, how about something like this. Like, I used to use the string line here. Okay.

The more I was talking, I’m like, I don’t do any of the things that I used to do in my best putting years. 2017-18, I was very, very regimented of the things that I did, and how he said it is I had a home base and I had no home base.

I had things that I did, but it was a very vague bag of things and there was no consistency to it.

I feel like I used to have a very good home base of fundamentals and things that I did.

So it honestly, while he helped, it was more of the questions he asked me made me realise that I’m trying basically too hard and I’m trying too many different things versus I think it’s a serious, serious, serious skill to continue to work on the things that you do really well and not doing it differently, and I think that’s been more of what it is. I have my fundamentals and things that I do and checkpoints, and I’m sticking to them.

Q. Was it confusing in those years where you weren’t putting well because you knew you had been a good putter in the past, and it wasn’t translating?

JUSTIN THOMAS: It’s more it wasn’t that I was a good putter. I still was a good putter those years and am a good putter. It’s just — it’s unique and different because it’s I’d say the only part of golf you can’t really make the ball do things.

If I’m not hitting it good, I can step up on the first tee here with a driver and I can hit some kind of little low chip cut and try to just advance it, but if I don’t know or feel good over a putter, if a putt is left edge, it’s pretty much left edge. I can’t create enough.

I got into — I’m very artistic and feel based in all of my game, and I think once I got to putting and the putting green, I turned into way too mechanical and robotic and that’s not me.

I’m better off, I call it pro-am putting, when it’s like I obviously want to make a putt that I’m hitting in a pro-am but I’m not grinding on read and thinking about all these different things. I’m pretty much stepping up, give it a look and go, and how often I make putts.

It was probably more up here than it was anywhere else.

Q. You’ve never been paired with Andrew before; did you know much about him until the playoff? Had you met him?

JUSTIN THOMAS: No, but funny enough, Joe said in the playoff, he’s like, I’ve never been out with Andrew, have you?

I was like, I actually have. He’s like, when was that. I was like, well, I played a practice round at the Travelers a couple years ago.

Like I wanted to just play the back nine and I got to 10 tee and it was in the afternoon and I don’t want to be jumping in front of anybody or whatever it is, so it’s like him and Ben Griffin were playing, and I was like, can I just join you guys. It’s like, yeah.

So I played the back nine with them, and they were having some kind of match, and all of a sudden they’re talking, and Andrew shot 59 that day. So I told Joe. I was like, yeah, I’ve played with him once and he shot 59 at TPC River Highlands.

Yeah, he’s obviously very good. So yes, that was my experience, and you could see in the shot he hit into 18, when he gets going, he’s going.

Q. Where were you when he stood over that eight-footer? Did you see or were you just —

JUSTIN THOMAS: I was in the scoring tent. They had a TV in there and I was watching.

Q. I wanted to ask how your feelings were on the golf course compared with Tampa, compared with Amex, for example. Do you think this gives you any more freedom going forward, or did you need any?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I felt more and more comfortable each time. I was very — don’t get me wrong, I was nervous, but it was way different kind of nerves today.

I felt very calm. I didn’t feel like I was going to win. I didn’t feel like I was going to lose. I was just playing. It’s just so hard to — unfortunately so hard to get into that place mentally of just trusting and believing it and just kind of letting it happen.

But I would say like Amex, I was so nervous before the day starting and it’s like the more you’re there the more comfortable I am with it, and then Tampa I was nervous but it was the first very comfortable nervous I felt while I was out there playing and just really kind of got into the whole situation and process and whatnot.

Then today, I don’t know, I didn’t have — I was way, way more nervous on Friday than I was today. It was weird. I said that to Joe. I said, I feel like this is a Sunday.

I’m playing for something today, to win the tournament or not. Very clearly it obviously was not the case. Just like everything else, you feel different every day. Just fortunately it felt great today.

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McIlroy covered the three-hole aggregate play-off in one over par, but that was comfortably enough to beat Spaun in a somewhat anticlimactic finish at TPC Sawgrass.

A two-putt birdie on the par-five 16th gave McIlroy a one-shot advantage after Spaun could only make par after finding rough off the tee and a bunker with his approach.

17TH HOLE DRAMA

McIlroy then safely found the green on the treacherous 17th before Spaun, who looked unsure of his club selection in the windy conditions, flew his tee shot over the green into the water.

The resulting triple bogey effectively ended the American’s chances of a second PGA Tour victory, even though McIlroy surprisingly three-putted from 30 feet.

McIlroy also bogeyed the 18th but Spaun still had 10 feet left for his own bogey and did not complete the hole after McIlroy tapped in.

Following his victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, it means McIlroy has won twice on the PGA Tour before the Masters for the first time in his career.

The world number two needs a victory in the year’s first major championship at Augusta National to complete the career grand slam.

McIlroy had started Sunday’s final round four shots behind overnight leader Spaun, but followed a birdie on the first with an eagle from 10 feet on the par-five second after a superb long-iron approach from 230 yards.

He also responded to a bogey on the seventh with a birdie on the eighth and another birdie on the par-five 11th took him to 12 under, a shot ahead of Spaun, before play was suspended due to an approaching storm.

Following a four-hour delay, McIlroy established a three-shot lead after he birdied the 12th as Spaun dropped a shot on the 11th, but the Northern Irishman bogeyed the 14th before Spaun birdied the same hole.

Spaun also birdied the 16th to get back on level terms and almost won the title in regulation as his birdie attempt from 30 feet on the 18th pulled up just three inches short.

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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott met with Trump earlier this month as efforts continue to strike a deal between the US-based circuit, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV Golf.

Talks have been ongoing since the signing of a framework agreement in June 2023.

TOP PLAYERS TOGETHER

Speaking on CBS during the final round of the Genesis Invitational, Woods said: “I think we’re in a very positive place right now.

“We had a meeting with the President. Unfortunately, I had some other circumstances that came up, but Jay and Adam, they did great during the meeting and we have another subsequent meeting coming up.

“I think that things are going to heal quickly. We’re going to get this game going in the right direction. It’s been heading in the wrong direction for a number of years.

“The fans want all the top players playing together and we’re going to make that happen.”

Asked by Jim Nantz if that could be this year, or “very soon this year”, Woods replied: “Yes and yes.”

Rory McIlroy said in November that he believed Trump becoming US president for the second time could help “clear the way” for a peace deal in golf’s civil war.

The four-time major winner had previously said that a 50-50 split between players on both sides and the US Department of Justice represented the biggest obstacles to a deal, with the DOJ having already forced a non-solicitation clause to be removed from the framework agreement.

However, Trump will be able to influence the priorities of the DOJ and has a close relationship with Saudi Arabia and LIV Golf, with several of their 54-hole events being staged at Trump-owned courses.

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In a wide-ranging press conference ahead of the Genesis Invitational, McIlroy said he learned that Trump is not a fan of LIV Golf’s 54-hole format, which includes team and individual elements and a shotgun start.

McIlroy, who initially played golf with Trump in February 2017, said in 2020 that he would not do so again – and doubted he would even be invited – after questioning Trump’s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott met with Trump last week as efforts continue to strike a deal between the US-based circuit, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.

WILL THE MERGER HAPPEN

Talks have been ongoing since the signing of a framework agreement in June 2023.

Asked about that meeting and what Trump could achieve, McIlroy made reference to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF.

“So the president, he can do a lot of things,” McIlroy said. “He has direct access to Yasir’s boss [Mohammed bin Salman]. Not many people have that.

“Not many people can say, I want you to get this deal done and by the way, I’m speaking to your boss, I’m going to tell him the same thing.

“He [Trump] can be influential. I saw it when I was playing with Sheikh Hamdan of Abu Dhabi the day when he got elected in November and the respect he has in the Middle East… I don’t think people appreciate how much respect that he has there.

“So I think whenever he says something they listen and I think that’s a big thing.”

Asked if he had spoken to Trump recently, McIlroy said he had played golf with him “a few weeks ago”.

LIV HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE

“It was great. Yeah, it was really good,” McIlroy added. “I thought we had a good discussion.

“I learnt that he’s not a fan of the LIV format. I was like, ‘But you’ve hosted their events?’ He was like, ‘yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I like it’. So I think he’s on the Tour’s side.”

McIlroy was initially among the biggest opponents of LIV Golf and said in July last year he would rather retire than play on the Saudi-funded breakaway, but has softened his stance more recently.

“Whether you stayed on the PGA Tour or you left, we have all benefited from this,” the Northern Irishman added.

“I’ve been on the record saying this a lot, like we’re playing for a 20 million dollar prize fund this week. That would have never happened if LIV hadn’t have come around.

“I think everyone’s just got to get over it and we all have to say ‘okay, this is the starting point and we move forward’. We don’t look behind us, we don’t look to the past.

“Whatever’s happened has happened and it’s been unfortunate, but reunification, how we all come back together and move forward, that’s the best thing for everyone.

“If people are butt-hurt or have their feelings hurt because guys went or whatever, like who cares? Let’s move forward together and let’s just try to get this thing going again and do what’s best for the game.”

WILL RORY PLAY ON LIV GOLF

Whether that extends to McIlroy himself playing in LIV Golf events appears unlikely however.

McIlroy responded, “I hope not,” when asked if there needed to be some “crossover” between the rival tours, before expanding on how the two entities could exist in the future.

“We’ll see, we’ll see,” McIlroy said. “Do they take up a smaller part of the schedule maybe?

“There are certain markets that their product has worked, in Adelaide for example this week. So are there certain markets where we try to cherry pick the best ones that make sense and try to do something with them?”

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With a dynamic blend of seasoned veterans and electrifying rookies, the tour is more unpredictable than ever, and that has the betting markets buzzing. Which rising stars are poised to challenge the established order, and how are their performances impacting the odds? Let’s tee off and explore the key storylines shaping the 2025 PGA Tour

Rising Stars on the 2025 PGA Tour Who Are Becoming Betting Favorites

What makes a “rising star” on the PGA Tour? These are players who are starting to challenge seasoned veterans, consistently delivering strong performances, and catching the eye of fans and bettors alike.

In 2025, rising talents like Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala, and Ludvig Aberg are stepping up to compete with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Their impact is reshaping the betting markets, offering exciting opportunities for fans looking to place smart wagers.

Established Stars Leading the Betting Markets

While the tour is buzzing with exciting new talent, the established stars are far from fading into the background; they remain the favorites in many betting markets. So, who are these seasoned champions that the rising stars are so eager to dethrone, and what makes them such formidable contenders week after week? Let’s take a closer look at the top players whose experience and skill continue to dominate the leaderboard and the odds.

Rory McIlroy: The Quest for a Career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy enters the 2025 season ranked second in the world. With three tournament wins in 2024, including the BMW Championship, McIlroy’s consistency is unmatched. His final round average of 68.4 highlights his ability to perform under pressure.

Golf odds for The Masters already reflect McIlroy’s strong position, with bookmakers factoring in both his Grand Slam quest and recent putting improvements.

The one thing missing from McIlroy’s incredible career? A master title. Winning at Augusta National would make him just the sixth golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam. This ambition makes him a popular choice for bettors, especially at The Masters in April.

Scottie Scheffler: Dominance and Versatility

Ranked No. 1 in the world as of February 10, 2025, Scottie Scheffler has been a dominant force on the PGA Tour. In 2024, he recorded seven official PGA Tour wins, including The Players Championship and his second Masters Tournament. His season was so dominant that he earned the Jack Nicklaus Award for the third consecutive season.

His stats on the fairways and greens are equally impressive, with a 318-yard average drive and a greens-in-regulation (GIR) percentage of 72.3%.

Scheffler’s tactical approach and ability to thrive on challenging courses make him a favorite for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. Bettors value his consistency and versatility, especially in tough conditions.

Collin Morikawa: Precision and Adaptability

Collin Morikawa, ranked fourth in the world, is known for his pinpoint accuracy. In 2024, he averaged 4.75 birdies per round and ranked in the top 10 for approach shots under 150 yards.

Morikawa’s focus in 2025 is The Open, where his skills on links courses give him a distinct advantage. His ability to adapt to tough conditions makes him a strong contender for both fans and bettors.

Viktor Hovland: The International Contender

Norwegian star Viktor Hovland had a stellar 2024 season, with two PGA Tour wins and a reputation for excelling on hard courses. Ranked third globally, Hovland’s mental resilience and adaptability make him a threat in any major tournament.

For bettors, Hovland’s consistent finishes and ability to handle pressure make him a reliable pick, especially in head-to-head matchups.

Hideki Matsuyama: The Consistent Veteran

As the 2021 Masters champion, Hideki Matsuyama brings experience and precision to the table. His approach shots and performance in high-stakes events make him a dependable choice for bettors looking for value in major tournaments.

Rising Talents Poised for Breakout Seasons

While the established stars dominate headlines, several rising talents are making a name for themselves in 2025.

Tom Kim: Accuracy and Consistency

Tom Kim is quickly becoming a fan favorite. With a T-6 finish at the PGA Championship, Kim’s accuracy off the tee and calm demeanor under pressure are turning heads.

For bettors, Kim offers excellent value in markets like top-10 finishes and head-to-head matchups. Could 2025 be the year he claims his first major title?

Sahith Theegala: Creativity Around the Greens

Sahith Theegala secured his first PGA Tour win in 2024, showcasing his creativity and exceptional short game. His ability to navigate tricky greens makes him a wildcard in any tournament.

Theegala is a smart pick for bettors looking for under-the-radar players with high upside, especially in matchups or top-20 bets.

Wyndham Clark: Building Momentum

After a strong finish at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2024, Wyndham Clark is a player to watch. If he can maintain consistency, he has the potential to make a significant impact in 2025.

Clark’s underrated status makes him a value pick in outright winner markets.

Something Old, Something New

The 2025 PGA Tour is a thrilling mix of rising stars, established champions, and iconic tournaments. Players like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler remain favorites, but rising talents like Tom Kim and Sahith Theegala are making their mark.

For bettors, understanding player form, course compatibility, and market trends is key to making informed decisions. With so much talent on display, this season promises excitement for fans and bettors alike.

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Organisers say the tournament has been ‘relocated from The Riviera Country Club due to the ongoing natural disaster in Greater Los Angeles and out of respect for those affected’.

The PGA Tour is confident the event will return to Riviera in 2026. This year’s tournament will include several Los Angeles-related relief initiatives, some of which will be supported by major brands.

PGA Tour chief grateful to tournament stakeholders

Several sportsbook operators have expressed interest in throwing their weight behind the efforts to raise valuable funds for people in the region.

Turnover generally spikes when the PGA Tour stages top-class events and the Genesis Invitational always attracts massive interest from sports bettors.

Thousands of punters will be clamouring to find the best betting sign up offers to boost their bankroll for wagering on the prestigious tournament.

Woods has admitted that it was a tough decision to move the event to Torrey Pines, but says the switch was unavoidable due to the sensitive nature of the situation in Los Angeles.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan acknowledged the efforts of the various stakeholders who have joined forces to ensure the tournament is staged.

“As we’ve seen the last two weeks, sports can be a great diversion but an even greater unifier in bringing people together for a common cause,” Monahan said.

“Highlighting the resilience of Los Angeles and the need for continued support for the ongoing recovery efforts is what our collective teams are working towards with the playing of The Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines.

“Our thanks to Tiger Woods, TGR Live and Genesis for their leadership in these efforts. We are grateful to Farmers Insurance, Mayor Todd Gloria and the City of San Diego and the Century Club for extending the invitation to relocate The Genesis Invitational to Torrey Pines.”

Switch to Torrey Pines continues a long-standing tradition

The switch to Torrey Pines continues the tradition of staging the tournament on municipal courses – a factor which many golf fans believe adds to the allure of the sport.

Rancho Park Golf Course, Brookside Golf Course and Griffith Park’s Wilson Course are among the public venues which have previously staged the Genesis Invitational.

Torrey Pines already boasts a rich legacy in professional golf having hosted two memorable United States Open Championships in 2008 and 2021.

Woods claimed the title there following a play-off 17 years ago, while Jon Rahm emerged victorious in 2021 following a stellar four-under-par final round.

Torrey Pines has played an integral role in Woods’ career. Eight of his 82 PGA tour victories were at the course, highlighting why he has such an affinity with the venue.

His stunning 12-foot birdie putt to force a play-off against Rocco Mediate in the 2008 US Open remains one of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport.

Genesis Invitational is often a tricky puzzle to unravel

The Genesis Invitational has a history of producing surprise results, with pre-tournament favourites often failing to live up to expectations. Here is the recent roll of honour:

• 2024: Hideki Matsuyama (267, -17)
• 2023: Jon Rahm (267, -17)
• 2022: Joaquin Niemann (265, -19)
• 2021: Max Homa (272, -12)
• 2020: Adam Scott (273, -11)
• 2019: JB Holmes (270, -14)
• 2018: Bubba Watson (272, -12)
• 2017: Dustin Johnson (267, -17)
• 2016: Bubba Watson (269, -15)
• 2015: James Hahn (278, -6)
• 2014: Bubba Watson (269, -15)
• 2013: John Merrick (273, -11)
• 2012: Bill Haas (277, -7)
• 2011: Aaron Baddeley (272, -12)
• 2010: Steve Stricker (268, -16)
• 2009: Phil Mickelson (269, -15)
• 2008: Phil Mickelson (272, -12)
• 2007: Charles Howell III (268, -16)
• 2006: Rory Sabbatini (271, -13)
• 2005: Adam Scott (133, -9)
• 2004: Mike Weir (267, -17)
• 2003: Mike Weir (275, -9)
• 2002: Len Mattiace (269, -15)
• 2001: Robert Allenby (276, -8)

Johnson (2017) and Rahm (2023) are the only recent winners of the Genesis Invitational who were prominent in ante-post betting.

Several Genesis champions were ranked at odds of 50/1 or greater, making the tournament the ideal fodder for punters who strive to find each-way value.

The event has provided opportunities for emerging talents to make a mark in the professional ranks and it will be intriguing to see if any younger players make a breakthrough this year.

Joaquin Niemann’s impressive victory at odds of 60/1 in 2022 highlighted how previously underrated players can put their name in lights at the Genesis Invitational

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