Scottie Scheffler arrived at the 2026 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club with all eyes on him, as the dominant world No. 1 who has barely been beaten over the past season on the PGA Tour.
Yet by the end of Thursday’s opening round, he found himself playing from the back, an unusual position for a man fresh off multiple victories and long top-10 streaks.
Instead of folding, Scheffler leaned into the grind that has defined his rise, refusing to let Riviera’s notorious challenges dictate his week.
Thursday’s tempestuous weather and tricky afternoon conditions produced what is widely regarded as Scheffler‘s worst start to a PGA Tour event.
With winds gusting and greens that were soft, bumpy, and quick, the 29-year-old wound up 3-over 74, a rare blemish for a player who has, until recently, led first-round scoring averages for years.
That rough beginning left him dead last on the leaderboard and facing a cut line that would test even seasoned pros.
Still, given all the headlines about Riviera’s difficulty, even some course changes drawing criticism from other stars like Rory McIlroy, the real story here wasn’t Scheffler blowing up, but how he responded.
“I’ve never been one to quit, so it’s not really, I mean, I’d feel pretty silly to quit in a PGA TOUR event,” Scheffler said, encapsulating the resilience that’s helped fuel his rapid ascent to the summit of men’s golf.
Scheffler‘s comeback began in earnest on Friday. The weather hadn’t fully relented, but earlier tee times brought fresher greens and calmer breezes, allowing him to put some momentum together.
A late par putt on the 18th hole helped him squeak through the cut, preserving a streak of 68 consecutive made cuts, the longest active run on tour.
Battling Riviera’s quirks and the cut
Making that putt was emblematic of Scheffler‘s week. He labored early, going 5-over through 10 holes before Thursday’s play was suspended, but stuck with it.
He birdied the ninth and 10th on Friday, spun a chip close on the par-5 11th, and steadied himself just enough to reach even-par over 36 holes.
“This place and I have like a weird relationship,” Scheffler admitted, reflecting on Riviera’s demands. “I feel like I can play so well out here and I just haven’t yet.”
It was an understatement rooted in hard reality. Through five career starts at Riviera, Scheffler has yet to win and has rarely come close to the lead.
His best results are top-10 finishes, and his worst starts have exposed that even elite players can be rattled by the distinctive contours and poa annua greens of Riviera’s layout, a club that famously eluded even Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.
But what could read as a week gone awry in the headline actually undersells what Scheffler accomplished.
After surviving the cut, he climbed back to an even-par standing through Saturday, showcasing a ball-striking and short game that quickly reasserted itself once the winds subsided and the greens eased.
Read the full article here
