Steve Palmer's Genesis Invitational first-round preview & golf betting tips

When to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 2.30pm Thursday

Best bets

Hideki Matsuyama top Asian
3pts 8-5 bet365

Jon Rahm top-five, Dustin Johnson top-ten, Rory McIlroy top-20
1pt 16-1 Betfair, Power

Beau Hossler to win 4.19pm threeball
1pt 21-10 Coral, Ladbrokes

Doug Ghim to win 2.40pm threeball
1pt 21-20 bet365

First-round preview

Genesis Invitational favourite, Jon Rahm, is among the early starters in round one at Riviera Country Club - teeing off alongside Sunday's Phoenix Open hero Scottie Scheffler at 3.24pm UK and Ireland time.

Jordan Spieth completes the Rahm threeball in a field which oozes quality. The Masters champion, Hideki Matsuyama, is also going to post in the California showpiece - and the Japanese ace looks a solid bet for top Asian honours.

Matsuyama has started this year in hugely impressive fashion, appearing more comfortable than ever on the greens, winning the Sony Open in Hawaii. He holed 100 per cent of his 62 putts from inside seven feet in last week's Phoenix Open.

When Matsuyama is putting well, he is one of the most dangerous players on the planet, and he has posted three top-tens at Riviera in the past. The rest of a weak Asian contingent will probably have to perform superbly to beat hotshot Hideki in the Genesis.

Punters looking for bigger offers should consider a 16-1 chance in the #OddsOnThat section with Betfair or #WhatOddsPaddy with Power. Rahm to finish in the top five, with Dustin Johnson for a top-ten and Rory McIlroy for a top-20 is an entirely feasible scenario at juicy odds.

Rahm has retained top spot in the world rankings due to his relentless consistency, while Johnson has finished in the top ten at Riviera in seven of his last eight appearances there. McIlroy has played in the Genesis five times and posted four top-20s.

First-round-threeball fans are pointed towards Beau Hossler and Doug Ghim. Hossler, third at Pebble Beach the week before last, seems a big price against Cameron Tringale, who was carrying an injury when missing the cut at Pebble last time out, and Sam Ryder. Ghim, runner-up in the 2017 US Amateur at Riviera, is much preferred to Aaron Beverly and Danny Lee.

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