Golf Tips: Our 3 Best Bets for the Genesis Invitational include a 90/1 each-way wager

Golf Tips

Genesis Invitational
Rory McIlroy to win
Taylor Pendrith to win (each-way)
Gary Woodland to win (each-way)

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Rory McIlroy to win

“I’m pretty close,” said Rory McIlroy in the aftermath of his triumph at Pebble Beach two weeks ago when asked whether he is nearing peak form. It was the first pre-March PGA Tour victory of his career and the Northern Irishman is as determined as ever to succeed this year.

His last seven starts have brought two wins, two runner-up spots, and a third-place finish. One of those was the first Signature Event of the season and having prevailed there, McIlroy can double his tally for the campaign at a long, challenging course that could hardly be more suited to him.

McIlroy’s Genesis record is not the best, but the tournament is being held at Torrey Pines instead of Riviera Country Club because of wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

Seventh at the US Open in 2021, adding to Farmers Insurance Open results of 16-3-5, equates to a decent San Diego CV but it could have been so much more. The US Open, in particular, got away from McIlroy, who worked his way into a share of the lead on the Sunday front nine but couldn’t sustain the challenge.

It would be fantastic for the PGA Tour if McIlroy could go toe-to-toe with Scottie Scheffler throughout 2025. The American deserves to be the favourite based on the last year, but McIlroy is the better driver and more reliable putter at the moment, so he takes preference at a bigger price.

Taylor Pendrith to win (each-way)

A model of consistency, Taylor Pendrith has earned the right to be near the top of the betting board for competitions like the Genesis Invitational, at which he posted a T7 finish last month.

Had it not been for a cold putter, the Canadian would have been a lot closer to eventual winner Harris English at the Farmers Insurance Open, and it was a similar story at Pebble Beach, where it took Pendrith until the fourth round to get the flat stick working.

It would be a surprise if the problems on the greens persisted. Pendrith is one of the better putters on the tour over a larger sample, and he had gained strokes in that category on his three previous visits to Torrey Pines before this year.

The 33-year-old’s tee-to-green game is on a steep upward trajectory, and it may not be too long before he is rewarded with a second PGA Tour title.

Gary Woodland to win (each-way)

Gary Woodland’s comeback from brain surgery continues to be an inspiring story. However, more than just a narrative makes the former US Open champion an attractive betting proposition.

Six years have passed since his last top 10 at Torrey Pines. That T9 in 2019 was Woodland’s fifth top-20 in six visits – he was just never able to properly contend for a victory during that stretch.

Being the third-longest driver in the tournament puts Woodland at an advantage this week, and he has been terrific with his irons lately. The only concern is his short game, so he has had to settle for three consecutive top-25 berths to kick off 2025 rather than something more fruitful.

Excluding round one, Woodland played relatively well around the greens in Phoenix. He will need to show further improvement in his scrambling and, to an extent, his putting to get into the mix in San Diego, but at the odds quoted, it is worth taking that chance.

This Week’s Golf Tips

Genesis Invitational
Rory McIlroy to win
Taylor Pendrith to win (each-way)
Gary Woodland to win (each-way)

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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