The Genesis Invitational’s Cruel Paradox: Why Golf’s Greatest Players Keep Coming Up Short in LA

I’ve been covering professional golf for 35 years now, and I’ve learned that sometimes the most interesting stories aren’t about who wins—they’re about who doesn’t. As we approach the Genesis Invitational’s centennial in 2026, there’s a fascinating narrative hiding in plain sight: some of the greatest players in golf history have never won this tournament. And that tells us something important about the nature of competition at the game’s highest level.

When you look at the list of Genesis champions stretching back to Harry Cooper in 1926, the names read like a golf hall of fame: Hogan, Snead, Palmer, Nicklaus, Watson, Couples, Faldo, Mickelson. But here’s what strikes me after walking these fairways for decades—the players who haven’t won it form an equally impressive roster. That’s not coincidence. That’s golf.

The Scheffler Paradox: When World No. 1 Isn’t Enough

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: Scottie Scheffler. The man has dominated professional golf like few before him, yet in seven starts at the Genesis Invitational, he hasn’t won. His best result? A tie for third at Torrey Pines in 2025. At Riviera, where this event has called home since 1973 (with a few exceptions), he’s managed only a T7th in 2022.

Now, I don’t lose sleep over Scheffler’s record here. The kid’s got plenty of time, and frankly, one tournament doesn’t define a career—we all know that. But what fascinates me is the margin: Scheffler has only missed the cut once at this event, which tells you he shows up ready to play. He just hasn’t quite closed the deal.

“The current runaway World No.1 has played this event seven times but has failed to stand on top of the podium when all is said and done.”

In my experience caddying for Tom Lehman back in the ’90s, I learned that even the best players have tournaments that just don’t fit their game that particular week. Maybe it’s the setup, maybe it’s the mental space, maybe it’s just golf being golf.

The Historical Pattern: Three Legends, One Missing Trophy

But here’s where it gets really interesting. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player—three of the five greatest players ever to play the game—never won the Los Angeles Open. Let that sink in for a moment.

Tiger came closest in 1998, losing in a playoff to Billy Mayfair, then again in 1999 when Ernie Els beat him by a stroke.

“Tiger Woods has won pretty much everything the PGA Tour has (or has ever had) to offer. Yet, the 82-time PGA Tour winner never claimed the Los Angeles Open title.”

Two heartbreaking near-misses—the kind of losses that haunt you. I’ve seen that look on players’ faces before. It doesn’t fade easily.

Jack Nicklaus finished second in 1978, two shots behind Gil Morgan at Riviera. Interestingly, the Golden Bear made his pro debut right here in 1962 at Rancho Park, finishing dead last for about $30. One of the worst results of his career, and yet he came back to nearly win it. That’s resilience.

Gary Player’s closest call came in 1963, a T2nd finish three strokes behind Arnold Palmer.

“With more than 150 professional victories to his name throughout the world, it seems inconceivable that Gary Player never won the Los Angeles Open at least once in his career. But that is the cold, hard truth.”

Modern Era’s Mysteries: McIlroy and Trevino

Rory McIlroy has 24 PGA Tour wins and five majors, yet he hasn’t won here either. His Riviera record is decent but never quite devastating—a T4th in 2019, a T5th in 2020, and plenty of mid-pack finishes. By his standards, it’s surprisingly pedestrian.

And Lee Trevino? A Hall of Famer with 92 professional wins worldwide and 23 PGA Tour titles, but the Los Angeles Open eluded him entirely. When you’ve got that resume, one missing tournament is almost laughable—except it’s not, because it reminds us that even greatness has limits.

What This Really Means

After 15 Masters, innumerable PGA Tour events, and three decades of watching the world’s best players compete, I’ve come to understand something fundamental: tournament golf is brutally specific. The course, the conditions, the field, the mental space—everything has to align. Sometimes it doesn’t, even for the greatest players alive.

These six players aren’t victims of bad luck, though luck certainly played a role. They’re victims of a simple truth: in a 72-hole tournament, you need 288 good shots, the right reads, the right bounces, and the mental fortitude to close. Even the best players in history don’t always get all of those in the same week.

As we approach 2026 and the Genesis Invitational’s centennial celebration, I’m genuinely curious whether any of these names will finally appear on that trophy. Scheffler seems likeliest given his dominance. McIlroy might finally break through. But knowing golf as I do, I wouldn’t be shocked if at least one of them remains a fascinating footnote to golf history—a great player who never quite won in Los Angeles.

That’s not a failure. That’s just golf being perfectly, frustratingly human.