Genesis Invitational Winners and History

Genesis Invitational Winners and History

The Genesis Invitational is the latest incarnation of the venerable Los Angeles Open. The most recent change in names has been from “Genesis Open” to “Genesis Invitational” in 2020.

Learn about the first Los Angeles Open — played in 1926.

Riviera, host of the Genesis Open was known as Hogan’s Alley. Find out why at the link.

At this point, the Genesis Invitational is one of five “invitational” tournaments on tour (the others are the Arnold Palmer, RBC Heritage, Fort Worth Invitational and Memorial). As such, it has a smaller field, no Monday open qualifying, and more freedom than usual in choosing players to participate in the event.

Over the years, the Genesis Invitational also has been known as The Glenn Campbell-Los Angeles Open, The Nissan Open and the Northern Trust Open. The event has been played at the fabled Riviera Country Club since 1973, with the exception of 1983, when the club hosted the PGA Championship and 1998, when it hosted the US Senior Open.

The tournament and the Riviera Country Club have gained a place in golf history. In the 1938 tournament, Babe Zaharias became the first woman to play in a men’s professional tournament. Ben Hogan won there in 1942, 1947 and 1948—which, along with his 1948 US Open victory at Riviera, gave the place the sobriquet “Hogan’s Alley.” Three victories in two years at Riviera is an amazing accomplishment. Finally, the 1992 Nissan Los Angeles Open gave amateur Tiger Woods his first spot in a professional tournament. (See a great gallery of photos of Ben Hogan at Riviera here)

In addition to Hogan, other prominent Genesis Invitational winners include Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead. Jack Nicklaus never won a Los Angeles Open.

The inaugural Los Angeles Open was played in 1926 at the Los Angeles Country Club. The tournament was won by Harry Cooper, who was one of the most prominent names in golf in the 1920s and 1930s. Cooper won 30 times on the PGA TOUR in his career and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The next year, it moved to El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana. It moved again in 1928 to the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Open made its first appearance at the Riviera Country Club in 1929 and 1930. In the 1930s the event was held at the Wilshire Country Club, the Hillcrest Country Club, The Los Angeles Country Club an Griffith Park.

Following a break for World War II, the Los Angeles Open was played at the Wilshire Country Club in 1944, and then for the next nine years at Riviera. In the 1950s, it was played at Fox Hills Country Club, Inglewood Country Club and Inglewood. Rancho Park hosted the event from 1956 to 1972.

Riviera Country Club, the current host of the Genesis Invitational – Los Angeles Open is one of the country’s fabled courses. The course opened in 1926 as the Los Angeles Athletic Golf Course with George Thomas listed as its principal designer. Credit, however, also is given to Alister Mackenzie and Billie Bell. After several redesigns, Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore made an attempt in 1992 to return Riviera’s bunkers to the original Thomas-MacKenzie design.

Thomas’ work at Riviera is oft cited for its risk-reward design. The first, for example, is a short par 5 that has a tee elevated some 75 feet above the fairway. It’s possible to make an Eagle on this hole, but thanks to out of bounds left and a ditch crossing the fairway, a wayward drive can drive to score to a double bogey. The par 4 eighth has two fairways separated by a ditch. Ten, a par 4 , is drivable, but greenside bunkers make it a risky proposition. The eleventh and twelfth are defended by ditches, bunkers and trees. I also think it has one of the great finishing holes—a par 4 with a mostly blind tee shot and a green situated in a natural amphitheater.

The course also has a bit of humor. The par 3 sixth has a bunker in the middle of the green. I wonder what Hogan thought of that. For my part, Riviera is on my list of courses I’d most like to play.

While Hogan had four victories at Riviera, he had only three Los Angeles Open Titles. The records for most victories at the Los Angles Open are held by Macdonald Smith (1928, 1929, 1932, 1934) and Lloyd Mangrum (1949, 1951, 1953, 1956). A complete list of Genesis Invitational winners follows:

Year	Player	Score	To par	Margin
Genesis Invitational
2024	Hideki Matsuyama	267	-17	3 strokes
2023	Jon Rahm	267	-17	2 strokes
2022	Joaquin Neimann	265	-19	2 strokes
2021	Max Homa	272	-12	Playoff
2020	Adam Scott (2)	273	-11	2 Strokes
Genesis Open
2019	J. B. Holmes	270	−14	1 stroke
2018	Bubba Watson (3)	272	−12	2 strokes
2017	Dustin Johnson	267	−17	5 strokes
Northern Trust Open
2016	Bubba Watson (2)	269	−15	1 stroke
2015	James Hahn	278	−6	Playoff
2014	Bubba Watson	269	−15	2 strokes
2013	John Merrick	273	−11	Playoff
2012	Bill Haas	277	−7	Playoff
2011	Aaron Baddeley	272	−12	2 strokes
2010	Steve Stricker	268	−16	2 strokes
2009	Phil Mickelson (2)	269	−15	1 stroke
2008	Phil Mickelson	272	−12	2 strokes
Nissan Open
2007	Charles Howell III	268	−16	Playoff
2006	Rory Sabbatini	271	−13	1 stroke
2005	Adam Scott	133^	−9	Playoff
2004	Mike Weir (2)	267	−17	1 stroke
2003	Mike Weir	275	−9	Playoff
2002	Len Mattiace	269	−15	1 stroke
2001	Robert Allenby	276	−8	Playoff
2000	Kirk Triplett	272	−12	1 stroke
1999	Ernie Els	270	−14	2 strokes
1998	Billy Mayfair	272	−12	Playoff
1997	Nick Faldo	272	−12	3 strokes
1996	Craig Stadler	278	−6	1 stroke
1995	Corey Pavin (2)	268	−16	3 strokes
Nissan Los Angeles Open
1994	Corey Pavin	271	−13	2 strokes
1993	Tom Kite	206*	−7	3 strokes
1992	Fred Couples (2)	269	−15	Playoff
1991	Ted Schulz	272	−12	1 stroke
1990	Fred Couples	266	−18	3 strokes
1989	Mark Calcavecchia	272	−12	1 stroke
Los Angeles Open presented by Nissan
1988	Chip Beck	267	−17	4 strokes
1987	Chen Tze-chung	275	−9	Playoff
Los Angeles Open
1986	Doug Tewell	270	−14	7 strokes
1985	Lanny Wadkins (2)	264	−20	7 strokes
1984	David Edwards	279	−5	3 strokes
Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open
1983	Gil Morgan (2)	270	−14	2 strokes
1982	Tom Watson (2)	271	−13	Playoff
1981	Johnny Miller	270	−14	2 strokes
1980	Tom Watson	276	−8	1 stroke
1979	Lanny Wadkins	276	−8	1 stroke
1978	Gil Morgan	278	−6	2 strokes
1977	Tom Purtzer	273	−11	1 stroke
1976	Hale Irwin	272	−12	2 strokes
1975	Pat Fitzsimons	275	−9	4 strokes
1974	Dave Stockton	276	−8	2 strokes
1973	Rod Funseth	276	−8	3 strokes
1972	George Archer	270	−14	Playoff
1971	Bob Lunn	274	−10	Playoff
Los Angeles Open
1970	Billy Casper (2)	276	−8	Playoff
1969	Charlie Sifford	276	−8	Playoff
1968	Billy Casper	274	−10	3 strokes
1967	Arnold Palmer (3)	269	−15	5 strokes
1966	Arnold Palmer (2)	273	−11	3 strokes
1965	Paul Harney (2)	276	−8	3 strokes
1964	Paul Harney	280	−4	1 stroke
1963	Arnold Palmer	274	−10	3 strokes
1962	Phil Rodgers	268	−16	9 strokes
1961	Bob Goalby	275	−9	3 strokes
1960	Dow Finsterwald	280	−4	3 strokes
1959	Ken Venturi	278	−6	2 strokes
1958	Frank Stranahan	275	−9	3 strokes
1957	Doug Ford	280	−4	1 stroke
1956	Lloyd Mangrum (4)	272	−12	3 strokes
1955	Gene Littler	276	−8	2 strokes
1954	Fred Wampler	281	−3	1 stroke
1953	Lloyd Mangrum (3)	280	−4	5 strokes
1952	Tommy Bolt	289	5	Playoff
1951	Lloyd Mangrum (2)	280	−4	1 stroke
1950	Sam Snead (2)	280	−4	Playoff
1949	Lloyd Mangrum	284	E	3 strokes
1948	Ben Hogan (3)	275	−9	4 strokes
1947	Ben Hogan (2)	280	−4	3 strokes
1946	Byron Nelson	284	E	5 strokes
1945	Sam Snead	283	−1	1 stroke
1944	Jug McSpaden	278	−6	3 strokes
1943	No tournament due to World War II
1942	Ben Hogan	282	−6	Playoff
1941	Johnny Bulla	281	−3	2 strokes
1940	Lawson Little	282	2	1 stroke
1939	Jimmy Demaret	274	−10	7 strokes
1938	Jimmy Thomson	273	−11	4 strokes
1937	Harry Cooper (2)	274	−10	5 strokes
1936	Jimmy Hines	280	E	4 strokes
1935	Vic Ghezzi	285	5	Playoff
1934	Macdonald Smith (4)	280	E	8 strokes
1933	Craig Wood	282	−2	4 strokes
1932	Macdonald Smith (3)	281	−3	4 strokes
1931	Ed Dudley	285	1	2 strokes
1930	Denny Shute	296	12	4 strokes
1929	Macdonald Smith (2)	285	1	6 strokes
1928	Macdonald Smith	284	E	3 strokes
1927	Bobby Cruickshank	282	−6	6 strokes
1926	Harry Cooper	279	−9	3 strokes