Another week, another designated event on the PGA Tour? Yes and no. Technically speaking the Genesis Invitational at famed Riviera Country Club outside Los Angeles is indeed one of the tour’s new big-money tournaments, offering an overall prize money payout of $20 million with the winner cashing a tour-record tying payday of $3.6 million. Jon Rahm heads into the final round with a three-shot lead over Max Homa as he attempts to cash in on the payday and grab the World No. 1 ranking in the process.
Yet given the tournament’s history, this event was special before it was designated. It dates back to 1926 and its list of winner’s has been a who’s who of men’s pro golf (with one notable exception). Past champions of the L.A. Open include Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Ernie Els and more.
Curiously, the tournament’s host, Tiger Woods, has struggled at Riviera, having never won in 12 pro starts in the event. He won’t win on Sunday—he starts the round 12 shots back of Rahm—but the fact he made the cut in his first appearance on the tour since last July is a happy sign for Tiger fans.
Not surprisingly this event was among those that gained designated status when the tour moved forward last year with its effort to keep the upstart LIV Golf League from poaching tour pros with offers of guaranteed contracts and exorbitant purses of its own. The PGA Tour’s designated events provide an opportunity for its best players to compete against each other more often—and be rewarded for doing so by paying significant prize money payouts as well.
Not only will the winner earn a payday that matches the largest in PGA Tour history, but those finishing second and third will make more than $1 million, and the fourth place isn’t far behind.
Here’s the prize money payout for all players who do make it to the weekend at the George Thomas masterpiece. Come back shortly after the end of the tournament on Sunday and we’ll update this list with individual names and specific paydays.