The PGA TOUR is hosting its third Signature Event of the season this week with the Genesis Invitational. Since 1983, this event has been played at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, but with that area severely affected by the California wild fires, this year’s Genesis Invitational will be played at the South Course (par 72, 7,765 yards, POA greens) of Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California. The South Course is a famous venue that hosts three of the four rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open every year. This tournament just took place three weeks ago and Harris English (-8) took home the top prize. The South Course also hosted the 2021 U.S. Open, which was won by Jon Rahm (-6). As a Signature Event, the Genesis Invitational features a limited field of 72 golfers and there will be a top-50 and ties cut following the first two rounds.
The South Course is a challenging and long course that presents small greens, thick rough, 82 bunkers and water in play on one hole. Despite its length, we have seen both short and long hitters win at the South Course. This venue is a perfect example of a second-shot course, where you need to be in stellar form with both your irons and putter to contend. During his Farmers Insurance Open win at Torrey Pines last month, English became the fourth consecutive winner of the event to finish the week top-10 in both SG APP and SGP. Lastly, the South Course is home to 10 par fours and six of these holes fall between 450-500 yards, making this the most important range of hole this week. Notably, four of the past five Farmers Insurance Open winners have either led their field or finished second in efficiency on the 450-500-yard par fours of the South Course.
Below, I have featured three of my favorite DraftKings bargain plays for the Genesis Invitational, all of which are priced under $7.5K.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $1M Sand Trap Special [$200K to 1st]
J.T. Poston ($7,200) – Poston is on the heels of a T-16 finish at the WM Phoenix Open last week, which marks the third start in a row that he has gained strokes on approach. Poston has only missed one cut in his last nine starts and he has produced four top-20 finishes during this span, including a win at the Shriners Open in October.
Poston has made the cut in four of his last five starts at Torrey Pines – including a T-18 at the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open – and he returns to the California venue this week 138 spots higher in the world golf rankings than when he last competed at Torrey Pines. Poston brings strong upside at an affordable price and needs to be rostered at only $7,200.
Gary Woodland ($6,600) – Woodland’s impressive start to 2025 continued at the WM Phoenix Open last week, with the veteran carding a T-21 finish at TPC Scottsdale. Woodland has now finished inside the top-25 in all three of his starts this season and he has impressively shot under par in 11 of these 12 rounds. Woodland has advanced to the weekend in 10 of his past 12 starts, and he ranks third in SGT2G and fifth in SG APP when we compare this field’s last 24 rounds.
As for his history at Torrey Pines, Woodland has been very consistent at the renowned venue, making 14-of-16 cuts, including five top-20 finishes. Another top-20 at the South Course is on the table for Woodland this week and he is an absolute steal at this sub $7K salary.
Adam Hadwin ($6,000) – Hadwin can’t be ignored at this bare minimum salary. The Canadian impressed at the WM Phoenix Open this past week, finishing T-8 while gaining strokes in every major category. Hadwin posted a pair of 5-under 66s at TPC Scottsdale and this outing was the eighth time in his last 10 starts that he has made the cut.
Hadwin has been reliable at Torrey Pines, advancing to the weekend in seven of his past eight visits to the famous track and he should easily outproduce his minimum salary with another made cut this week.
