It was an unusual Genesis Invitational. Tiger Woods, tournament player/host was there and then he wasn’t, taken out a third of the way through his second round by the flu. It would not be “Sun Day Red” as he launched his new apparel line but “Sun Day Bed, as golf correspondent James Corrigan quipped on social media. Jordan Spieth had an early exit from Los Angeles as well. Spieth’s departure before the weekend was from scorecard sickness, signing an incorrect one, and in the wake of his disqualification the cries for a Rules modification to ameliorate that harsh fate were loud. And wrong, as far as removing the responsibility from the player to correctly state what he made on a hole. Soften the penalty from a DQ to something less, such as two or more strokes? It’s been discussed. No doubt it will be again.
By Sunday there was still some whining in the air about Spieth’s disqualification but relief that Woods’ early exit wasn’t related to a bum body part. He did say, though, that a back spasm had something to do with his shanked second shot on the 18th hole at Riviera Country Club on Thursday—perhaps the ugliest shot tracer since Branden Grace’s tee shot headed for the railroad tracks coming down the stretch of the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. If I hit a shank in 2024 and don’t use Tiger’s language in the wake off his ugly to describe it— “I presented hosel first”—I will be very disappointed with myself.
There were no such wide rights for Hideki Matsuyama in the final round, when he emerged from a tight leaderboard like he was on a bullet train while everyone else was trundling along on a slow freight. It seemed one moment early in the back nine, there was a five-way tie for the lead and the next Matsuyama was in command, on his way to his ninth PGA Tour victory but first in more than two years. Bothered by a neck problem, the Japanese star hadn’t even had a top-10 finish in nearly a year and came into the Genesis ranked 57th in the world. But when third-round leader Patrick Cantlay and the others who were loitering up top gave Matsuyama—who trailed by six after three rounds—an opening, he seized it with authority to defeat Will Zalatoris and Luke List by three, with Cantlay, Adam Hadwin and Xander Schauffele another stroke back in a tie for fourth.
The highlights for Matsuyama were a 6-iron to 8 inches on No. 15 and a tee shot to 6 inches on the par-3 16th hole, back-to-back beauties that might well have been hit by legendary pin seekers Byron Nelson or Johnny Miller, both of whom won L.A. Opens at Riviera, Nelson in 1946 and Miller in 1981. Matsuyama’s closing, nine-under 62 is the lowest final round in the tour event at Riviera and matches Phil Rodgers’ score at Rancho Park in 1962.
For Matsuyama, the victory did more than break a significant drought. The win allowed him to pass South Korea’s K.J. Choi for most PGA Tour titles by a player from Asia. “Yes, reaching nine wins was one of my big goals, passing K.J. Choi,” Matsuyama told reporters through an interpreter. “After my eighth win, I’ve been struggling with my injury. There were a lot of times where I felt I was never going to win again. I struggled reaching top 10. But I’m really happy I was able to win today. To win this tournament was one of my goals ever since I became a pro. After Tiger became host, that goal became a lot bigger. A little disappointed that I wasn’t able to take a picture with Tiger today.”
Photograph notwithstanding, Matsuyama moves on with momentum and the satisfaction of being among so many stars who have won in L.A. Good stuff—unexpected things—can and do happen on a course with Riviera’s pedigree. Matsuyama’s rousing finish, sure to live in L.A. annals, came 50 years after one of the most memorable tournaments held there.
Dave Stockton wrapped up his victory in 1974 at Riviera by hitting a 240-yard 3-wood from the left rough to nine feet on the 18th hole, one the clutch closing approaches in tour history. He needed it, too, for one of his chief challengers was Sam Snead, the L.A. champion in 1945 and 1950 who was trying to turn back the clock less than four months before his 62nd birthday. Snead had shared the lead with Stockton, John Mahaffey and Tom Weiskopf through 54 holes after a Saturday 66 and closed with an even-par 71 to finish tied for second, two behind Stockton. Months later, Snead tied for third in the PGA Championship, a remarkable achievement for someone in his 60s during any era, but particularly when equipment was less forgiving. Snead was a golf freak, his senior skills underappreciated.
Slammin’ Sam had ventured in his world-beating prime to Japan, where his reputation preceded him and he was called “the God of Golf.” Snead told me that when he was a proud man in his mid-80s, his swing still sound and his mind still sharp. Matsuyama has joined Snead, and select others, as a winner at Riviera and Augusta National. Golfers that matter. Places in golf that matter.
Good stuff, Bill. Hard to believe Dave Stockton is not in the WGHOF as he is certainly deserving.
Woods sure does have his own lexicon and always has. He may be the only person on the planet who would say influenza and not flu. He's a different guy to say the least.