Golf
Genesis Invitational Preview: Straka can take the next Sepp
The 2025 Genesis Invitational is set to take place at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California, with 72 players teeing up.
Traditionally held at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, the tournament has been relocated this year due to the devastating wildfires that impacted the Pacific Palisades area.
Torrey Pines is no stranger to hosting prestigious golf events. Just three weeks prior, it was the venue for the Farmers Insurance Open, and it has been the site of two U.S. Opens, most recently in 2021. The course is renowned for its challenging layout, featuring long fairways and the notoriously tricky Poa annua greens, which can test even the most skilled golfers.
While last week’s selections failed to make the cut at TPC Scottsdale for the infamous Phoenix Open, we’re back with two new players who are in fine form and have some history at this prestigious course.
Sepp Straka – 45/1
Our first pick to perform at the Genesis Invitational this year is none other than Sepp Straka. The Austrian is in fine form off the back of a solid performance at the Waste Management last week, finishing in the top fifteen with a tidy 12-under par.
Straka also impressed at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, by putting himself into contention after three rounds, alongside fellow Europeans Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. A lacklustre final round of even par placed him T7 after four rounds, but an applaudable performance, nonetheless, finishing 16-under par.
Straka’s third tour win of his career came only a month ago at the American Express, fending off the likes of Justin Thomas, Justin Lower and Jason Day to finish two shots clear with 25-under par.
The 2023 Ryder Cup winner has admitted his most desirable feat this year would be to make it to Bethpage in Europe’s quest for an away Ryder Cup win in September. With that target set in his mind, he’ll be striving to add to his string of high finishes and wins on tour, and the Genesis Invitational would be a great event to kickstart his run.
Daniel Berger – 70/1
We have Daniel Berger priced at a very generous 70/1, considering his recent form and history at Torrey Pines.
Berger finished T2 at last week’s Phoenix Open with a score of 17-under par in the desert. While he failed to make the cut at the Farmers Insurance, the week before, he carded a notable 15-under par to finish in the top 15. In similar fashion, Berger fired another 15-under par at the RSM Classic back in November to finish T2 – a shot behind the winning score.
However, the main reasoning behind our pick is the American’s record at Torrey Pines. The South Course can claim many victims and provide a stern test for elite golfers, so any previous form should be accounted for. The 2021 US Open was hosted at Torrey Pines, and Berger finished T7 with a very impressive 1-under par, alongside the likes of Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. He was one of only twelve players in the field to finish Day 4 under par and played some scintillating golf.
If Berger can reproduce the same level of golf he did back in 2021 at the same venue, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with this time around in the Genesis Invitational.
