2025 Genesis Invitational: Scheffler, McIlroy, tournament schedule

PGA Tour returns to Torrey Pines for the third signature event of the season

Thursday, February 13th 2025, 5:22 pm

By: CBS Sports

Less than one month removed from its annual stop at Torrey Pines, the PGA Tour returns to the cliffs of California for the 2025 Genesis Invitational. Setting up shop in San Diego due to the Los Angeles wildfires, the third signature event of the season will be contested across the South Course at Torrey Pines instead of traditional host Riviera Country Club.

After committing to the field last Friday, tournament host Tiger Woods has pulled his name from competition as he continues to mourn the loss of his mother. In his place, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy -- two of the top players in the game -- headline the field.

Scottie Scheffler

The world No. 1 arrives at Torrey Pines following a head-scratching performance at the WM Phoenix Open in which a back-nine 41 on Sunday led to a disappointing T25 finish. After playing himself in contention early in the final round of the WM Phoenix Open, Scheffler struggled on the back nine and fell down the leaderboard. For the second straight tournament, the three-time reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year lost strokes around the green -- something he hasn't done since early 2021. Not only that, Scheffler hit a number of uncharacteristic shots throughout the week in Scottsdale leading to multiple penalty strokes.

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy is looking to keep a good thing going as he tees it up for the first time since winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the second signature event of the season. It has been a dream start to 2025 for McIlroy, who nabbed another victory in a signature event thanks to a conservative approach at Pebble Beach. While he was able to chip his way around the Monterey Peninsula, the world No. 3 will now need to unleash his mighty power at Torrey Pines. He's driving the golf ball as well as ever and seems to have found his groove on approach. It's not a usual stop on his playing schedule, but Torrey Pines has treated the Northern Irishman well with no finishes outside the top 20 in four starts.

Genesis field

While Scheffler and McIlroy have done plenty of winning these last few years, many of their peers have not. Native Californians Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay look to get right and reenter the winner's circle as does Ryder Cup teammate Justin Thomas, who continues to play some fine golf.

They are joined in the field by the likes of Maverick McNealy, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradely, Jordan Spieth and Sam Burns. While the Americans will pack a punch, those who hail outside the United States have been the ones to find the early-season success. Five of the first six winners in 2025 have been international players with Hideki Matsuyama, Sepp Straka and McIlroy headlining that pack.

Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, Min Woo Lee and Jason Day aim to join Matsuyama as international winners as do Europeans such as Rasmus Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre, Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry, whom all appear primed to contend at this former major venue.