What Is the Lowest Score Ever Shot at the PGA Tour Genesis Invitational?
First played in 1926, the event currently known as the Genesis Invitational is the fourth-oldest tournament on the PGA Tour.
While now played annually at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, the tourney formally known as the Los Angeles Open, the Nissan Open, and the Northern Trust Open has been contested at 11 different courses in the LA area since its inception.
As you can imagine, given such a lengthy history, the Genesis Invitational has provided fans with plenty of phenomenal golf over the years. And the list of winners at this event is truly exceptional, despite the fact that it oddly doesn’t include either Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods. But that’s not the point here today.
No, today we’re here to discuss a couple of the scoring records at this prestigious event, the first being the lowest round in tournament history and the other being the lowest 72-hole score. So let’s get to it.
What is the lowest round ever shot at the Genesis Invitational?
The lowest single round ever shot at the Genesis Invitational was a 61, a record shared by two players who hit the number on different courses.
The first to do it was George Archer, who shot a 10-under 61 during the third round of the 1983 event, which was then called the Glen Campbell Los Angeles Open.
This was one of just two years since 1973 that Riviera didn’t host the tournament, as the course was preparing to host the PGA Championship a few months down the road. That week’s venue was Rancho Park Golf Course, which hosted the tournament 17 times, second only to Riviera.
Despite the record-setting round, Archer finished the week in solo fifth at 11-under, three shots back of winner Gil Morgan.
The mark was tied in 1999 at Riviera by Ted Tryba, who also shot his 10-under 61 in the third round. Like Archer, however, he didn’t win the tournament. Tied for second with Tiger Woods and Davis Love III at 12-under, Tryba finished two shots back of winner Ernie Els.
What is the lowest 72-hole score at the Genesis Invitational?
As for the lowest 72-hole score at the Genesis Invitational, that record belongs to Lanny Wadkins, who shot a 20-under 264 at Riviera in 1985 en route to winning the tourney for a second time.
The 1977 PGA Championship winner opened his week with an 8-under round of 63 and followed it up with a 1-under 70. Wadkins then shot 67 on Saturday and 64 on Sunday to hit 20-under, breaking the previous record by four shots.
The previous mark was held by Phil Rodgers, who shot a 16-under 268 at Rancho Park in 1962 and still holds the record for the largest margin of victory, winning by nine shots. Wadkins fell two shots short of that record as he won in 1985 by seven over Hal Sutton.
Joaquin Niemann seemed destined to set a new mark in 2022 at Riviera, setting new marks for 36 and 54 holes, but ultimately finished at 19-under.
