According to Golfweek, Tiger Woods has decided on a caddie for his return to professional golf at the Genesis Invitational this week.

• Related: Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

Veteran caddie Lance Bennett is Woods’ choice to loop for him at historic Riviera Country Club. This season, Bennett has been on the bag talented rookie Adrien Dumont de Chassart, who isn’t in the field this week. As of now, Dumont de Chassart isn’t in the field of the PLAYERS Championship or The Masters, so he should be available for Woods then as well.

Previously, Bennett has been on the bags of Sungjae Im and Davis Riley on the PGA Tour as well as Matt Kuchar back in 2012. He also worked with a few LPGA players such as Juli Inkster, Paula Creamer and Lorena Ochoa.

Woods spent the better part of the last decade working with Joe LaCava, who began working for Tiger in 2012, before taking up a full-time gig with Patrick Cantlay last year.

Everything is now in place for Woods tee it up once again on Thursday at Riviera.

More from the 19th Hole

The Waste Management Phoenix Open, which typically has a fun atmosphere for players and fans, turned ugly over the weekend.

There were fights, people running onto the golf course and multiple issues with negative interactions between players and fans throughout the tournament.

The Waste Management Open looks like a shit-show. This dude is just sitting here pissing his pants. It's pretty clear we've deteriorated as a society pic.twitter.com/HgWDOy92E5

— ND (@CopaceticNuts) February 10, 2024

???? Scenes from The Waste Management ?

(Via shmebecca / TikTok) pic.twitter.com/AlRjXZ9GPc

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) February 10, 2024

Never know what you’ll see at the Waste Management Open pic.twitter.com/m4eyS3xTuq

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) February 10, 2024

Waste Management bartender explains why they cut off alcohol: pic.twitter.com/mfbwKuWfoA

— Tour Golf (@PGATUOR) February 13, 2024

While speaking with Golf Channel, Josh Cozby, who is the executive director of the Thunderbirds who host the tournament, said there will be a “complete operational change” to the event going forward.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve built,” Cozby said.

“I think, we’ve been tournament of the year on the PGA Tour five of the last seven years. But we don’t like what happened on Saturday. The players don’t like what happened on Saturday. Our fans don’t like what happened on Saturday, and, so, nothing is off the table.”

“We are going to make changes,” he said. “There’s no time off, we have 365 days to fix this.”

Cozby indicated there may be a limit of ticket sales as well as enhanced security for the event.

“Nothing is off the table,” Cozby said.

“We are going to look at our general ticket exposure and how many are out in the marketplace, we are going to look at our complete security plan and how we operate.”

“Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open in 2024 is going to end up being a turning point for our tournament and our organization to make our event better.

“We learned so much and we know that we have to make improvements. We owe it our fans, we owe it to the PGA Tour players that come and support this event, we are not going to let this happen again.”

More from the 19th Hole

The PGA TOUR’s West Coast swing makes its final stop to play a $20 million signature event at historic Riviera Country Club. The 2024 Genesis Invitational always delivers as one of the best tournaments of the year at one of the most iconic golf courses in the world.

Riviera Country Club is a par-71 that measures 7,322 yards. The fairways and rough consist of Kikuyu grass, and the greens are Poa Annua.

The Genesis Invitational field will consist of 70 players with the top-50 and ties making it to the weekend. 

65 of 67 eligible players for The Genesis Invitational via one of these categories are committed:
– 2022-23 FedExCup top 50
– Aon Next 10 (51-60 in 2022-23 FedExCup Fall)
– Race to Dubai (top player not otherwise exempt)
– 2024 winners
– Top 30 OWGR
– Sponsor exemptions (*) pic.twitter.com/ijWX8vO4mg

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 9, 2024

Tiger Woods will also make his 2024 debut at Riviera this week. 

Past Winners at The Genesis Invitational

• 2023: Jon Rahm (-12)
• 2022: Joaquin Niemann (-19)
• 2021: Max Homa (-12)
• 2020: Adam Scott (-11)
• 2019: J.B. Holmes (-14)
• 2018: Bubba Watson (-12)
• 2017: Dustin Johnson (-17)
• 2016: Bubba Watson (-15)
• 2015: James Hahn (-6)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value). 

Strokes Gained: Ball Striking

This week, I find ball striking to be especially important. Riviera requires golfers to play well in all facets of their game.

Ball striking includes both off the tee and approach, as one or the other will not be enough this week. Golfers will need to excel with both the driver and irons this week if they want to contend.

Last year Jon Rahm gained 12.5 strokes ball striking. In 2022, Joaquin Niemann, gained 9.1 strokes ball striking.

Total Strokes Gained: Ball Striking in Past 24 Rounds (Average per round)

1. Adam Scott (+2.08)
2. Scottie Scheffler (+1.97)
3. Xander Schauffele (+1.54)
4. Justin Thomas (+1.30)
5. Chris Kirk (+1.18)

Strokes Gained: Off the Tee

While off the tee is included in the ball striking stat, I am double-dipping here by incorporating SG: Off the Tee. Driving distance is very important, as the course is long, and there are many fairway bunkers that require length to carry.

Driving accuracy is also important because the Kikuya rough can be quite penal.

SG: OTT Round in Past 24 Rounds (Average per round)

1. Kevin Yu (+0.98) 
2. Scottie Scheffler (+0.79) 
3. Rory McIlroy (+0.78)
4. Byeong Hun An (+0.67) 
5. Cameron Young (+0.62)

Strokes Gained: Putting (West Coast)

Riviera’s fast and firm greens are notoriously difficult. Putts from 10 feet and in are far from a guarantee, and this is an area where we will see many golfers struggle this week.

SG: Putting (West Coast) Past 24 Rounds (Average Per Round)

1. Nick Taylor (+24.2)
2. Brendon Todd (+23.1)
3. Sahith Theegala (+18.7)
4. Sam Burns (+18.5)
5. Taylor Montgomery (+17.7)

3-Putt Avoidance (West Coast)

Poa can get really bumpy late in the day, making tough par saves late in the tournament even more difficult. Average three-putts per round are much higher at Riviera than the TOUR average. 

3-Putt Avoidance: Gained in Past 24 Rounds (Average Per Round)

1. Sam Burns (0.8)
2. Kurt Kitayama (+0.8)
3. Keegan Bradley (+0.8)
4. Nick Taylor (+1.0)
5. Dabis Riley (+1.1)

Strokes Gained: Around the Green

This event will be far from a birdie-fest. As mentioned, Riviera is a true all-around test.

With fairways relatively difficult to hit, playing out of the rough will create a lot of missed greens. Golfers will need to make some tricky up and downs to get away with par at Riviera.

SG: ARG: past 24 rounds (Average per round)

1. Justin Thomas (+.78)
2. Russell Henley (+.76) 
3. Hideki Matsuyama (+62)
4. J.J. Spaun (+.57)
5. Beau Hossler (+.56)

Course History (SG: Total) (Average per round)

1. Cameron Young
2. Adam Svensson
3. Mac Homa
4. Viktor Hovland
5. Patrick Cantlay
6. Collin Morikawa
7. Adam Scott
8. Xander Schauffele
9. Will Zalatoris
10. Rory McIlroy

Statistical Model

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed.

These rankings are comprised of SG: BS (28%), SG: OTT (24%), SG: Putting West Coast (17%), SG: ARG (17%), Course History (7%) and 3-Putt Avoidance West Coast (7%).

1. Sahith Theegala (+3500)
2. Max Homa (+1600)
3. Justin Thomas (+2000)
4. Xander Schauffele (+1400)
5. Collin Morikawa (+1600)
6. Scottie Scheffler (+750)
7. Beau Hossler (+1800)
8. Adam Scott (+4500)
9. Viktor Hovland (+1200)
10. Luke List (+15000)

2024 Genesis Invitational Picks

Justin Thomas +2500 (Bet365)

Justin Thomas was my headline bet last week, and I’ll be going back to him once again at Riviera. Although it wasn’t a spectacular performance, JT played well enough, finishing in a tie for 11th.

Statistically, Thomas didn’t play extremely well, however, he was solid in all facets of his game, which is a key at Riviera. He gained strokes off the tee, on approach, around the green and even putting. After making a putter switch after the first round, the two-time PGA Champion was positive on the greens for the rest of the week.

Thomas has had a great deal of success at Riviera, and history has shown that players who have a strong track record at the course are more likely to have a repeat performance. In his past six starts at the Genesis Invitational, Thomas has three top-10 finishes, including a second-place finish in 2019. In that event, JT lost to J.B. Holmes on a windy Sunday when he played 36 holes. He finished 20th last season. 

Although he’s yet to get in the winner’s circle since the 2022 PGA Championship, JT has finished 3rd, 6th and 12th in his three 2024 starts. I believe the win is coming, and one of his best chances of the year will be this week.

Tony Finau +3000 (BetRivers)

Despite not finishing extremely well, Tony Finau once again hit the ball great at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He gained 5.8 strokes ball striking, which should provide him much more of an advantage at a course like Riviera as opposed to the shorter track in Pebble Beach. Finau was also excellent at Torrey Pines, finishing 6th and gaining 7.0 strokes on approach, which was good for 2nd in the field.

Finau has a strong track record at Riviera. In 2021, he lost in a playoff to Max Homa and in 2019, he finished runner-up to Bubba Watson. He ranks 14th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total per round at Riviera. The 34-year-old has finished in the top-20 of the event in three of his last five tries.

It’s been a slow start for the bigger names at the top of the leaderboard this season, but I believe a player like Finau can get it done this week in a signature event.

Sahith Theegala +3500 (DraftKings)

This season, Sahith Theegala is playing like one of the best and most consistent golfers on the PGA Tour. In his past two starts, he’s finished 20th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am and 5th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Last week at TPC Scottsdale, Theegala gained 5.6 strokes on approach and 2.6 strokes off the tee.

In addition to the strong recent ball striking, the former Haskins award winner is an excellent putter on West Coast POA, ranking 3rd in the field in the category only behind some fantastic putters.

Theegala has proven that he’s extremely comfortable playing on the West Coast where he grew up and went to college at Pepperdine. He won the Fortinet Championship in the fall and can be another player, similar to Max Homa, who wins at Silverado and Riviera.

Adam Scott +4500 (FanDuel) 

This number is a little shorter than I was hoping for, but Scott’s combination of recent form and course history at Riviera is too difficult to ignore this week.

Last week at TPC Scottsdale, the Australian gained 6.5 strokes on approach, which was his best performance in the category since June of 2022. Scott has started his 2024 season finishing 20th and 8th in his two starts and a recent iron switch seems to be working out beautifuly for the veteran. He switched from Miura irons to the Srixon ZX Mk II (3, 4), Srixon ZX 7 Mk II (5-9), which are more of a cavity backed iron. He also switched to a TaylorMade driver and has gained 1.8 and 1.7 strokes off the tee in his two starts this season.

Scott’s history at Riviera is remarkable. In his last eight trips to the course, he’s finished in the top eleven five times, including a win (2020) and a runner-up (2016). In the field, he ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total at Riviera.

At his best, Scott can compete with all of the top players on Tour despite being in the back nine of his incredible career.

Adam Scott currently co-leading at Riviera #PGATour pic.twitter.com/WVr210v7AN

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 16, 2019

Hideki Matsuyama +8000 (BetRivers) 

This is simply a “bet the number” play for me this week. Hideki Matsuyama has been a tough man to predict since his 2021 Masters victory and he’s been relatively inconsistent to kick off his 2024 campaign. In between some mixed results, the Japanese star has finishes of 13th at Torrey Pines and 22nd last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

In the past, Matsuyama has played great at Riviera, however the results haven’t been as strong in the past three seasons. He has finishes of 4th (2015), 9th (2019) and 5th (2020), so he clearly has an eye for the layout.

Matsuyama is great with his long irons and is always one of the best players around the green, which are two of the most important factors at Riv. If Matsuyama can keep his driver in play, I think he will be around over the weekend.

Three holes played. Two chip-inskis. Class from Hideki. pic.twitter.com/87dN3v3EFC

— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) February 9, 2024

Other Considerations

I decided to add this blurb this week of some players that I strongly considered but couldn’t fit on my card. If you need a break from some of my stalwarts such as JT, Hideki or Scott, a bet on one of these players looks great.

Ludvig Aberg +2200: Riviera should be a perfect course fit.

Sam Burns +2500: Playing extremely well at the moment and figures to be in the mix.

Cameron Young +4000: Played great here last year and seems to be finding some form. Driver can be a weapon at Riv.

Will Zalatoris :+5500: Still working his way back from injury, which is my concern, but Riviera is a golf course that will suit Zalatoris for the next decade plus.