While there are no LIV Golf players in the 2024 Genesis Invitational field, several who have joined the circuit have won the Riviera Country Club tournament
The Genesis Invitational is one of the most prestigious on the PGA Tour, with a long list of winners going back almost 100 years to 1926, when it was known as the Los Angeles Open.
Six players who currently participate in the LIV Golf League have emerged as winners in the Riviera Country Club tournament. Below, you will find the accounts detailing how and when they achieved their victories.
At present, Charles Howell III, who is 44 years old, is considered one of the most skilled golfers in the LIV Golf organization. He became a part of the circuit after competing in 609 PGA Tour events as a seasoned professional.
In 2007, during the Nissan Open, there was an instance where a 27-year-old golfer emerged victorious after defeating Phil Mickelson in a playoff. This particular win earned him a prize money of $936,000 and marked his second victory in the PGA Tour.
Before that, Howell III had been a runner-up on the Tour 10 times, including twice in the opening months of 2007, while the victory came over four years after his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2002 Michelob Championship.
It was almost another near miss for Howell III, who had Mickelson to thank for fluffing two four-foot putts on the back nine, but even then Lefty only needed a par on the 18th. He contrived to bogey and leave the door open for Howell III.
Afterwards, Howell III admitted he thought his chance had gone. “That tournament was over,” he said. “I gave him a 90% chance of getting up and down.”
PHIL MICKELSON – 2008 AND 2009.
While Mickelson perhaps only had himself to blame for not claiming the title in 2007, he made no mistake over the next two years at the event that was by then known as the Northern Trust Open.
In 2008, he finally took the title 20 years after his first appearance at Riviera Country Club following a round of 70 on the Sunday that saw him beat Jeff Quinney by two shots.
“Last year was really the first year I played well here, and to break through with a victory feels terrific,” he said after his win, which was his 33rd on the PGA Tour. Even then, he had to contend with a few wobbles of his own and some brilliant putting from Quinney before finally laying the demons of a year earlier to rest.
The year after, Mickelson made hard work of it again, this time surrendering a four-shot lead at the start of the final round to find himself two adrift of Steve Stricker with four to play.
Finally, he began showing his best – and in the nick of time – with birdies at the 16th and 17th. He found himself needing a par at the 18th to win. He held his nerve from five feet to achieve just that and claim his second successive title.
BUBBA WATSON – 2014, 2016 AND 2018.
Bubba Watson remains the LIV Golf player with the most wins at the tournament, after victories in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Just a couple of weeks before the first of those, Watson had blown his chance of the Phoenix Open title with two late bogeys and, perhaps inspired by that, he didn’t get close to allowing history to repeat itself.
Watson’s final 39 holes at Riviera Country Club were bogey-free. Despite that, he began the final round four behind William McGirt, but a seven-under 64 saw him ease home by two shots, with Dustin Johnson his nearest challenger.
Two years later, Watson was two behind with just four to play, but two birdies in the last three saw him finish one ahead of Jason Kokrak and Adam Scott as he emerged victorious over a strong field for his ninth PGA Tour win.
“When you come to Hollywood, there’s a lot of things you can do. It’s fun. And winning is the cake,” Watson said after the victory.
In 2018, Watson moved alongside greats Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer with three wins at the event, by now called the Genesis Open. The victory was his first in two years, and was helped in the final round by a combination of solid putting, dropped shots by others and a hole-out on the par-3 14th to eventually finish two ahead of Kevin Na and Tony Finau.
DUSTIN JOHNSON – 2017
Dustin Johnson achieved his only win at the tournament between Watson’s second and third triumphs. Johnson’s victory was not hindered by the need to complete his third round on Sunday morning due to bad weather the day before.
He dominated the competition effortlessly, starting the final round five shots ahead and at one stage holding a commanding nine-shot lead. Ultimately, he comfortably finished the tournament with a five-shot advantage over Scott Brown and Thomas Pieters. During that particular phase of his professional journey, Johnson was heading into a commanding period, exemplified by a remarkable sequence of 49 consecutive holes without a bogey throughout the competition.
The victory was even more gratifying as it not only granted him his inaugural ascendance to the pinnacle of global rankings but also dethroned Jason Day after his 47-week reign.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN – 2022
The Chilean became the first wire-to-wire winner of the event in 53 years to claim his second PGA Tour victory after rounds of 63, 63, 68 and 71.
As that final number suggests, there were some edgy moments for him on the Sunday, with rookie Cameron Young and Open champion Collin Morikawa in pursuit, but a chip-in for eagle on the par-5 11th settled the nerves and he eventually closed out a two-shot win.
It was also the first time a 23-year-old had won the event since Phil Rodgers 50 years earlier – an occasion that marked the pro debut of Jack Nicklaus.
Just six months later, it was announced that Niemann had joined LIV Golf.
JON RAHM – 2023
The Spaniard started off 2023 with a determined attitude following a challenging year in 2022, during which his performance with the putter was lackluster.
However, he quickly put those difficulties behind him by securing victories at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and American Express. His success continued with a T7 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and a third-place finish at the WM Phoenix Open, leading him to the Riviera Country Club.
The focus during that week was mostly on Tiger Woods, who, except for his participation in the family-oriented PNC Championship, was starting his first competitive tournament since the 150th Open held the previous summer.
Nevertheless, Rahm was determined to stay focused on the task despite this distraction. He entered the last round with a three-stroke lead over his closest competitor, Max Homa. Despite Homa consistently staying in contention throughout the day, Rahm managed to secure a two-shot victory, thus making him the third quickest golfer to win three PGA Tour events before the 1st of March.
Rahm’s victory resulted in him reclaiming the number one spot in the world rankings, as Scottie Scheffler was replaced by him.