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It’s been another thrilling showcase at The Genesis Invitational 2024, as always. The Riviera Country Club never fails to deliver, and after three rounds, the battle for the trophy is wide open. Long Beach native Patrick Cantlay has maintained his grip on the leaderboard since the first eighteen holes and heads into the final round with a commanding overall score of -14.
Genesis, results
While Cantlay enjoyed a strong lead after the second round, he faced some challenges on this moving day, particularly towards the end of his eighteen holes. Standing on the tee of the 14th, he had just notched two birdies in the last three holes, sitting at -2 for the round and seemingly on the verge of a decisive breakaway.
However, his game hit a snag momentarily. Cantlay ended up with a bogey on the par 5 17th due to a wayward tee shot and approach, but his approach and putt on the 18th were crucial in salvaging a par and securing a third-round score of 70 (-1).
The 31-year-old American now enters the final round with a two-shot lead over his closest pursuers: Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris. Schauffele and Zalatoris are tied for second place at -12 and are fully in contention for the title.
Both closed out their Saturday rounds with impressive 65s (-6), mounting a strong finish that brought them much closer to the top, which was four shots away at one point during the day. The final pairing for the fourth round will be Cantlay/ Schauffele, two of the best friends on the Tour.
They are regular partners in Ryder Cup doubles, often play tournaments together, and know each other well off the course too. The third wheel will be Zalatoris, who, after a lengthy hiatus, is gradually returning to showcase the golf that amazed everyone during his breakthrough.
Sitting solo in fourth place is American Luke List (-11), ahead of a high-quality duo tied for fifth at -10, comprising American Harris English and Australian Jason Day. Further down the leaderboard, in seventh place at -8 and nearly out of contention for the title, is a trio consisting of Hideki Matsuyama from Japan, Corey Conners from Canada, and JT
Poston from the United States. Rounding out the top 10 with a score of -7 are Adam Svensson, Adam Hadwin, Beau Hossler, Tom Hoge, and Mackenzie Hughes. The Genesis Invitational lost one of its main attractions as it was supposed to mark Tiger Woods’ seasonal debut, but unfortunately, it was short-lived.
The American star and arguably the most iconic golfer of all time had to withdraw during the second round due to flu-like symptoms, preventing the 15-time Major champion from completing his eighteen holes.