Author photo

By Fred Altieri
Sports Reporter 

Tiger to Play Riviera

Genesis Invitational Features Solid Field Starting Thursday

 

February 9, 2023

Fred Altieri

Tiger Woods will tee it up at Riviera for the 15th time

The 2023 Genesis Invitational tee times are officially set with host Tiger Woods joining 131 golfers at Riviera Country Club starting Thursday. Woods will tee off on Hole No. 1 at 12:04 p.m. with World's No.2 golfer Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, ranked seventh. The three will also play in Wednesday's Pro-Am with Woods starting at 6:30 a.m.

The Collegiate Showcase began in playoff fashion on Monday when Jack Wall of Texas Tech defeated University of Kentucky's Alex Goff on the second playoff hole. Wall birdied the 10th and eagled 11th hole to also earn the final exemption into The Genesis Invitational. Tuesday was practice day and also a chance for Woods, Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler (the past two winners on the PGA Tour's West Coast swing), and Marcus Byrd, recipient of the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption to address the media.

"I'm excited about being able to compete and play and play here at Riviera where basically it all started," said Woods in his surprise announcement that he would be playing in the tournament this year. "...play tomorrow and get a nice little taste and feel for it. A little cooler than I thought. Get used to that and get ready for Thursday." Woods has played the tournament 14 times with a second-place finish in 1998 his best showing.

Former World's No. 1 ranked Justin Rose (currently 36th) broke a four-year winless drought by taking the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am two Sunday's ago: "I haven't been out for a practice round yet. Just kind of got the clubs back out really... just beginning to sort of like loosen up and get back into the swing of things. The speed of the greens, that type of stuff. But the course looks in phenomenal condition and looking forward to getting out there."

Scottie Scheffler regained the World's No. 1 title by successfully defending the WM Phoenix Open on Sunday at TPC Scottsdale for his fifth PGA Tour win. "The golf course is in good shape again just like always. I would say there's probably a bit more rough this year than there has been in years past," said Scheffler about the 97-year old famed Riviera course.

"I guess all the rain they had a month or two ago probably had a pretty big effect on that, but excited for the week. The golf course is a big challenge, it's one of our favorite stops of the year and you've got to be playing really good to score well around this golf course." This will be the 60th year Riviera Country Club has hosted the event in the Pacific Palisades crown jewel.

Marcus Byrd, who also has an exemption into the following week at the PGA Tour's Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida: "My mom... she's the strongest person I know. So. it's going to be real special having her follow me around this week. I'm just looking forward to having a good time, smiling, hanging with them. Being on the road, I don't really get to do that as much so it's going to be pretty awesome."

Byrd does have a favorite hole already in mind, the par 4 18th hole leading up to the iconic Riviera C.C. clubhouse: "I like to hit a little fade off the tee and it just sets up pretty good for my eye and it's the finishing hole." He revealed that Cedric Lamar will be his caddy this week: "It helps out to have some experience this week and really kind of guy who kind of coached me around and I'll be able to navigate this course this week.

I think the main thing is just picking out good targets off the tee and getting used to the greens. Obviously being from the east coast, our greens are a little different, grass is a little different. It's just picking good targets, getting used to the greens, getting used to chipping and putting on them."

The following is the latest updated information about the Genesis Invitational open to fans Thursday, February 16 – Sunday, February 19.

Mobile Ticket and Payment Policy: All tickets to the 2023 Genesis Invitational are digital via mobile device and must be purchased in advance at the tournament's website: enesisinvitational.com. Walk-up box office sales or a Will Call area will not be available at the tournament entrance during event week. The 2023 Genesis Invitational is a cashless event. Concession stands and merchandise shops will accept credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay only.

Fred Altieri

Luke Donald - Practice Day Tuesday at The Genesis Invitational

Parking: All public parking for is located in the Santa Monica public parking lots, which are open 24 hours a day. Regular parking rates and rules apply. A map of the parking lots can be found here. Lots S1, S2 and S4-S8 are located between Wilshire Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd. from 2nd Street to 4th Street, and the shuttle pickup/dropoff location is on Wilshire between 2nd and 3rd. The Metro Express Line's Downtown Santa Monica Station is a short walk to the shuttle pickup/dropoff point.

The free tournament shuttle runs: Thursday Feb. 16 and Friday, Feb. 17: 6 a.m.-7 p.m .; Saturday, Feb. 18 and Sunday, Feb. 19: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. There is no public parking at or on the surrounding streets of The Riviera Country Club. All surrounding streets have parking restrictions from Wednesday, February 15 to Sunday, February 19 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Rideshare: Fans are encouraged to use Uber and other rideshare services. Designated dropoff and pickup points are: 1450 Allenford Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Complete information about The Genesis Invitational is available at the tournament's official website: http://www.GenesisInvitational.com.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/24/2024 03:10