PGA Tour
The Genesis Invitational
Homa Wins The Genesis Invitational in Playoff
Little separated Max Homa and Tony Finau after 72 holes at The Genesis Invitational. Aged just one year apart, the American duo finished regulation play at 12-under. Both players were in search of their second PGA Tour title.
Finau, aged 31, collected his first PGA Tour win in a playoff at the 2016 Puerto Rico Open. Homa, aged 30, scored his victory more recently in 2019 at the Wells Fargo.
Both players made par at the first extra hole. In the end, Homa prevailed with a par at the second playoff hole after Finau failed to convert his up and down sand save.
Homa, who started the final round to shots adrift of overnight leader Sam Burns, went bogey-free on Sunday at Riviera Country Club for a superb 5-under 66. The Californian had his chance to secure the victory at the 72nd hole after he dialled in his approach shot at the final green to just a little over three feet. His birdie putt lipped out.
Finau got off to a flyer on Sunday carding six birdies over his opening 11 holes. He started the final round four shots behind Burns and briefly took a one shot lead over Homa with his eighth birdie of his round at the 17th hole. Finau closed with an impressive final round 7-under 64. He has now finished in second place at his last three starts.
Burns was chasing his maiden PGA Tour title. The 24-year-old American held a five-shot lead after 36 holes and took a two-shot lead into Sunday. Burns started strong with an outward nine of 4-under, which gave him a three shot advantage at the turn. Three bogeys in four holes at the 12th, 14th and 15th dropped him out of the lead. He finished in outright third place at 11-under.
Australian Cameron Smith made a fast start in his final round collecting four early birdies. He signed for a 4-under 67 and finished in outright fourth place.
Defending champion Adam Scott was never in contention and covered the 72 holes in even par for a T38 result.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson played in the final group and began the closing round two shots behind Burns. His run at his fifth win in his last nine starts ended with back-to-back bogeys at the 9th and 10th holes. Johnson finished with a 1-over 72 to fall to 6-under for the event and a tie for 8th place. It was the first time he recorded an over par round at a PGA Tour tournament on Sunday since this event 12 months ago.
The PGA Tour will move to Florida next week for the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession. Patrick Reed is the defending champion.
Final Scores
The Genesis Invitational
1. Max Homa -12
2. Tony Finau -12
3. Sam Burns -11
4. Cameron Smith (AUS) -9
T5. Jon Rahm -7
T5. Viktor Hovland -7
T5. Matthew Fitzpatrick -7
Other Australians
T8. Matt Jones -6
T32. Marc Leishman -1
T38. Adam Scott E
T43. Cameron Smith +1
Photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images