The Genesis Invitational is more than a tournament for its host and PGA Tour icon Tiger Woods, and it is stamped with his legacy and humanitarianism, as the event was established in 1926
07:00 ET, 19 Feb 2026Updated 07:57 ET, 19 Feb 2026
PGA Tour star Tiger Woods has hosted the Genesis Invitational since 2020
PGA Tour star and TGL co-founder Tiger Woods has won 82 PGA Tour events, but the Genesis Invitational holds a special place in the golf legend’s heart as his own-hosted tournament at The Riviera Country Club.
In 2020, Woods took on the role of official host for the Genesis Invitational, following in the footsteps of legends Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. The PGA Tour signature event is next on the tour’s schedule and will take place from Feb 19 to 22, following the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Nicklaus’s legacy is tied to the Memorial Tournament, while Palmer’s is linked to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. For Woods, Riviera became his signature stage to carve out a path of his own, even if he’s not competing in this year’s tournament as he recovers from lumbar disc replacement surgery, nor did he last season.
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Just before the first competitor teed off, Woods answered media questions about the event, describing how Riviera has changed from the Los Angeles Open to Woods 1992 PGA Tour debut 1992 on a sponsor exemption.
“They’ve moved some tees back. The 12th tee is nowhere near what it used to be. The 8th hole is nowhere near what it used to be. But what has stood the test of time is that iconic first tee shot,” said Woods.
“That hasn’t gone anywhere. We’ve always played in front of the clubhouse. It’s very similar to the first tee shot at St Andrews to me. When you go back through the test of time, and you look at all the photos, and you go back 100 years, you’re going to see the same tee shot right in front of the clubhouse,” he continued.
Tiger Woods has competed in the Genesis Invitational 15 times
“I think that the classicness of the golf course, the bunkering, the subtleness of the green complexes out here, this is one of the harder golf courses to post a score on.”
Woods missed the cut on his first go around, but left convinced he would one day belong. Three decades later, he oversees the event as its figurehead, even though he has never won it.
The Genesis Invitational is the tournament Woods has played the most without lifting the trophy. Across 16 starts, his best finishes were a solo second in 1998 and a tie for second in 1999.
Tiger Woods won’t compete in this year’s tournament
In 2020, the PGA Tour elevated the event to “Invitational” status, giving it a smaller field. The event now includes a $20 million purse and grants the winner a three-year Tour exemption.
The foundation’s mission supports TGR Learning Labs across Southern California and elsewhere, advancing STEM education and college access programs. In 2026, it will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
The 2026 tournament marks its 100th edition and returns to Riviera after being held at Torrey Pines due to wildfires. Genesis renewed sponsorship through 2030 to support the high costs of a modern Signature Event.