How does the Genesis Invitational tournament work? Format, rules and more explored

The Genesis Invitational is the seventh tournament of the 2024 PGA Tour season and the third of eight Signature Events. The event is about to celebrate its 98th edition and, throughout its history, has had several formats.

For the 2024 edition, the Genesis Invitational will be a limited field event. However, a cut is scheduled after the first 36 holes. This cut will be made by the Top 50 (plus ties), and also by any player within 10 strokes of the leader (ten-stroke rule).

The Genesis Invitational will have a purse of $20 million, with a winner's share of $4 million. The field will be 71 players, who qualified in one of the following categories (via genesisinvitational.com):

• Top 50 on 2023 FedExCup points list
• The so called "Next 10" (Nos. 51-60 in final 2023 FedExCup Fall standings)
• Leading finisher from the Race to Dubai, not otherwise exempt
• The so called "Swing 5" (Top 5 players in the FedEx Cup ranking between Siganture Events, not otherwise exempts).
• Current-year tournament winners, not including additional events
• Sponsor exemptions (members not otherwise exempt)
• Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption
• Top 30 Official World Golf Ranking (not otherwise exempt)

With this qualification system, a very competitive field is expected, which will include some of the best players in the world, such as Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland.

The field will include 41 members of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) Top 50 and 28 of the Top 30. In addition, 15 Major champions and several event winners will be at Riviera Country Club.

Tiger Woods himself will tee off at the event, as he received one of four sponsors' exemptions (Adam Scott, Gary Woodland and Will Zalatoris). The Tiger Woods Foundation is the title sponsor of The Genesis Invitational.

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A look at the history of The Genesis Invitational

The Genesis Invitational was founded in 1926 as the Los Angeles Open. Since then it has been played annually with the single exception of 1943, when it was suspended due to World War II.

The event has always been played in or around Los Angeles. A total of eleven courses have hosted the event, which is currently played at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. This is the venue that has hosted the most editions (59) and has hosted the event continuously since 1999.

The lowest score record for 72 holes (20 under 264) is held by Lanny Wadkins since he won in 1985. The largest margin of victory was Phil Rodgers' in 1962 (9 strokes over Bob Goalby and Fred Hawkins).

Two players have won four editions of the tournament, Macdonald Smith (1928, 29, 32, 34) and Lloyd Mangrum (1949, 51, 53, 56). Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Bubba Watson have all won it three times.

Two former champions of the event, Max Homa and Adam Scott, will be in the field for the 2024 edition.