CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The strongest field of the PGA Tour 2016-17 season to date is at the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club this week.
Eight of the top 10 players in the world are scheduled to compete at Riviera, which is in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Only No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who is injured, and No. 4 Henrik Stenson are absent.
GENESIS OPEN TEE TIMES
The list of those beginning competition Thursday includes No. 1 Jason Day, No. 6 Jordan Spieth and No. 9 Sergio Garcia. Spieth won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week. Garcia won the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour two weeks ago.
Garcia, of Spain, and No. 7 Adam Scott, of Australia, make their 2017 stateside debuts.
The tournament had hoped for even more star power when Tiger Woods committed to play, but back issues knocked him out. Woods, while a shell of himself on the course at the moment, is on the short list of greatest golfers ever.
PGA TOUR
GENESIS OPEN
Site: Greater Los Angeles.
Course: Riviera Country Club. Yardage: 7,322. Par: 71.
Purse: $7 million.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS).
Defending champion: Bubba Watson.
Last week: Jordan Spieth won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Notes: Tiger Woods has not played Riviera since 2006. His foundation now runs the tournament. ... Bubba Watson has not won since Riviera last year. ... A testament to Riviera's teeth is that the 72-hole scoring record was set by Lanny Wadkins (264) in 1985. ... Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama each has a mathematical chance to replace Jason Day at No. 1 by winning, depending on how Day plays. Jordan Spieth can only move to No. 2. ... Thomas Pieters is playing on a sponsor's exemption. He won the NCAA individual title at Riviera when he played for Illinois... The Charlie Sifford Memorial exemption was awarded to Kevin Hall, the deaf golfer who played at Ohio State.
Next week: Honda Classic.
Online: www.pgatour.com
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