The Genesis Invitational First-Round Leader Tips: Back Bradley

Dave Tindall
15 February 2023
3:00 min read

Keegan Bradley can start fast

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The PGA Tour heads back to California and Dave Tindall has three picks to be first-round leader at Riviera...

In form 50/1 Bradley has 10 FRLs on the PGA Tour
40/1 Sam Burns has history of FRLs and likes Riviera
100/1 Stallings performed well in Cali and is finding form

Weather forecast for Thursday: It's a mild day at Pacific Palisades with temperatures hitting 60 degrees by 11am and staying there for just about the rest of the golfing day. Winds are modest at between 5-8mph so there doesn't seem any advantage for either wave.

Bradley the bet

Keegan Bradley has had an excellent season so far and heads to Riviera ranked 3rd in the FedEx Cup standings, behind only Jon Rahm and Max Homa.

The American's lofty position is down to a win at October's ZOZO Championship and a second place in last month's Farmers Insurance Open.

He's backed up those two standout performances with a couple of other good finishes, including tied 20th in Phoenix last week.

Bradley finished off the previous campaign by setting the pace at the BMW Championship and that took his tally of career first-round leads into double figures.

Back Keegan Bradley each-way @

51.0

Here at Riviera, he has a second and a fourth to his name and, although he's been patchy in recent years, his last four opening rounds at the California course read 66, 75, 68, 69.

The 66 put him third third after round one in 2019 while he was 12th following the opening lap in 2021.

In his current form, Bradley looks a bet at 50s to go low early from his 10:25am tee time.

Side with Sam

Sam Burns continues to play well without attracting attention and his last two finishes show 11th in The American Express and sixth in Phoenix last week where, for the second tournament running, he finished 64-68.

Burns also started with a 64 at the AmEx to sit second after day one while he was 18th on the closing Thursday leaderboard in Phoenix.

That's all good so far but it gets even better when noting that Burns was the first-round leader here at Riviera in 2021 thanks to another 64 and went on to finish third.

Back Sam Burns each-way @

41.0

Also in the top 25 in this event in 2020, he's a proven fast starter and despite having the reputation for being best on Bermuda surfaces, Burns ranked 4th for Strokes Gained: Putting here in 2021 and 22nd for SGP in 2020.

A patient sort which fits well with Riviera, Burns can make an impact from his 15:37 local tee-time.

Stallings can surprise

Scott Stallings is a slightly harder sell than Bradley and Burns but looks an interesting outsider at a three-figure price.

The American's form in California is rather boom or bust. In his last 15 starts there he has a fifth, a sixth and a couple of other top 20s but nine missed cuts.

Let's focus on the good stuff. As well as a win at Torrey Pines in 2014, and a second when defending, he was fourth in this event in 2018.

Back Scott Stallings each-way @

101.0

As for fast starts, Stallings has ended day one in the top eight in three of his last seven events in California and that includes Pebble Beach two weeks ago where he went on to finish 15th.

Last week in Phoenix, Stallings roared out of the blocks with a 66 to lie second after 18 holes and then completed his third top 25 in four starts this season.

After some strong performances at the back end of the previous campaign, including a second place in the penultimate FedEx Cup play-off event, the signs looks good again and hopefully that manifests in a birdie-laden opener.

Stallings sets out from the 10th at 14:31.

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