Genesis Invitational: 3 players who will challenge the lead this weekend

Patrick Cantlay holds a five shot lead going into the weekend at The Genesis Invitational at Riviera. He has simply been the most consistent thus far, putting together two nice rounds on Thursday and Friday.

However, there are some guys lurking behind who are just close enough to make some noise. With Cantlay at 13 under, I think somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 under is the cut-off point for players truly in contention here, especially given the players we are talking about. Let’s take a look at three guys in particular who we should keep an eye on at the Genesis Invitational.

1. Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler at 4 under is not something to discount. A solid round on Saturday will be key to put him in striking distance on Sunday to win the Genesis Invitational, but if the leaders start to see his name rise up the board, they will tighten. You can bet on him at least closing the gap when all is said and done, as he seems to always be in the mix.

He will need to get the putter going as he is probably the best player in the world when his putts are going in. In fact, he has probably been the best player in the world overall the past two seasons, with multiple victories under his belt, including come from behind victories. Players who have earned this clout typically have an easier time climbing the leaderboard the more they are able to do it. This will benefit him if he is able to play well on Saturday at the Genesis Invitational.

2. Will Zalatoris

Will Zalatoris is back and looking to get this season started on the right foot. At 6 under par, he is very much in the thick of things. He can certainly close that gap over two days. Although he has yet to capture the elusive major, he has won other tournaments in big moments and clutch situations. If Will Zalatoris is able to close this gap, Cantlay and others may be in trouble at the Genesis Invitational.

He will need to improve his consistency. Zalatoris tends to get a bit streaky at times, and if he is unable to move up the leaderboard it will be due to his inability to put two great rounds together back to back.

3. Tony Finau

Tony Finau is another guy, like Scheffler and Zalatoris, who is regularly in the conversation on Sunday. He won several events last season, and is in prime position to have another great year. His ability to close in on Cantlay will come down to putting. When Finau is able to get the putter working, he is as good as anyone on tour.

Tony Finau is not Scottie Scheffler by any means, and the main concern is actually getting it done and getting the victory. I have no doubt he can make things interesting, which is really what matters to the majority of golf fans is that there is intrigue late on Sunday. If he finds himself in a playoff with someone like Scheffler, that is where he may fall short.

We will see what happens. The Genesis Invitational has the potential to be a very exciting tournament despite the large gap that exists currently. There are several players who have the proven experience and ability to go low in big situations, if that happens there will be some intrigue that will make this tournament very exciting. Scheffler is the furthest behind, but I would consider him to be my sneaky pick to ultimately come from behind and win the Genesis Invitational. Let’s hope for some of these guys to make some moves and create some intrigue this weekend.