Genesis Open Picks

The West Coast Swing is winding down and it reaches its conclusion this week as the Tour moves to Riviera Country Club for the Genesis Open. Run by Tiger’s charity, the field is understandably stacked. Without further ado, here is who we like this week:

DMoney

The eyes of the entire golf world are going to be focused on the “featured group” of Tiger, Rory, and JT. Meanwhile, the rest of the field this week is STACKED. This is one of the most loaded fields we will see this year for a non-major or WGC event. With so many guys that have a realistic shot to win this week, it makes picking just one very difficult. But, that’s what we are here to do and for my pick this week I am going with Bryson DeChambeau.

As much as the guy can rub me the wrong way at times, you can’t argue with the results he has put up over the past six months. Since he missed the cut at the PGA last year, Bryson has not finished outside the top 25 on the PGA Tour. In that same six month span, he has three wins domestically and another win in Dubai over on the European Tour. With results like that, it’s hard to argue not picking him this week.

Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort)

Tiger is in the field at Riviera this week and at this point I’m convinced if I don’t pick him he’s got a better chance at winning. Picked Phil 2 weeks ago. Didn’t win. Didn’t pick him last week, he wins. As Bryson says, “it’s science!” That said, we are going with the X-Man – Xander Schauffele – because why the heck not.

The 25-year-old California native already has 2 wins this season, is 4th in strokes-gained putting on Tour and 2nd in total strokes-gained. Not too shabby. Plus in his first appearance here last year he finished T9. Experience shmexperience! When this dude gets in the zone, the only thing that could stop him is somebody pronouncing his name incorrectly.

TSS

I’ve gotta go with the odds this week, and the odds tell me that either DJ or Bubba is going to win this thing.

Bubba only seems to be able to win at Riviera on even numbered years…

2018 – 1
2017 – W/D
2016 – 1
2015 – T14
2014 – 1

…so DJ it is.

Here are DJ’s results at Riv since 2014.

2018 – T16
2017 – 1
2016 – 4
2015 – T2
2014 – 2

Last year was the only year in the last five that he didn’t finish in the top 15, top 10, top 4. That’s pretty ridiculous. While he doesn’t have a win on the PGA Tour this season, he did just win the Saudi International.

So there  you have it.

Author: Dan Hauser

Dan is the co-founder of The Stiff Shaft and the website's Senior Writer. A South Florida native, Dan has been covering golf since 2013 and playing it his entire life. He is still waiting for his first hole-in-one.

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