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
Phil Mickelson is one of six LIV Golf players to win the title
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.
Among its victors have also been six players who now compete on the LIV Golf League. Here are the stories of how and when they finished on top of the leaderboard at the Riviera Country Club tournament.
CHARLES HOWELL III – 2007
Charles Howell III after winning the 2007 Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club
Charles Howell III beat Phil Mickelson to win the title in 2007
Nowadays, 44-year-old Charles Howell III is one of the most experienced LIV Golf players on its roster, having joined the circuit as a veteran of 609 PGA Tour appearances.
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
Phil Mickelson with the trophy after winning the 2008 Northern Trust Open
Phil Mickelson won the first of two titles in successive years in 2008
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.
BUBBA WATSON – 2014, 2016 AND 2018
Bubba Watson celebrates his win at the 2014 Northern Trust Open
In 2014, Bubba Watson won the first of three titles
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.
DUSTIN JOHNSON – 2017
Dustin Johnson with the trophy after his victory in 2017
Dustin Johnson eased to victory at the 2017 tournament
Despite needing to finish his third round on the Sunday morning due to rain and fog the day before, Johnson made easy work of his victory. He began his final round five shots ahead and at one point was virtually out of sight with a nine-shot lead before eventually easing home by five ahead of Scott Brown and Thomas Pieters.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN – 2022
Joaquinn Neimann pumps his fist at the end of the 2022 Genesis Invitational
Joaquin Niemann picked up his second PGA Tour win at the second tournament
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.
JON RAHM – 2023
Jon Rahm after his win at the 2023 Genesis Invitational
Jon Rahm is the LIV Golf player who won the trophy most recently
The Spaniard began 2023 as though he meant business after some struggles in 2022, not helped by some poor form with his putter. Those issues appeared a distant memory as he rattled off wins at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and American Express, before a T7 at the Farmers Insurance Open and third at the WM Phoenix Open leading to the visit to Riviera Country Club.
Much of the attention was on Tiger Woods that week, who, an appearance at the family-friendly PNC Championship aside, was making his first competitive start since the 150th Open the previous summer.
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