Rain and Darkness Force Late Shuffle at Genesis Invitational; Round One to Resume Friday Morning

The 2026 genesis invitational saw play delayed Thursday by rain and ultimately suspended because of darkness, producing an updated morning restart and a shifted schedule for the second round. The adjustments affect tee times, player groupings and broadcast windows for Friday.

Genesis Invitational: What happened and what's new

Play at Riviera Country Club was interrupted late Thursday after rain and then halted when daylight ran out. Organizers scheduled the remaining players to resume the first round Friday morning at 10: 00 a. m. ET, with the second round set to begin at 10: 40 a. m. ET; that change represents a roughly 25-minute push to Round 2 tee times compared with the original plan.

At the time of the update, 30 players had yet to complete their opening rounds. Some individual groups were reassigned within the revised window: one marquee pairing that had been listed for 10: 27 a. m. ET was moved to 10: 52 a. m. ET and will include Rickie Fowler, Tom Kim and Max Greyserman. Tournament organizers also set a live-telecast window in the late afternoon and an early streaming window beginning in the late morning.

What happened on the course and who to watch

Riviera’s design produces a mix of birdie opportunities and costly mistakes. Several holes play as so-called “half-par” holes, producing scoring averages that cluster around 4. 5 and 3. 5, which makes for frequent swings on the card. Missed fairways become progressively punitive after the fifth hole, with an estimated penalty of roughly 0. 33 strokes for each missed fairway beyond that point, putting a premium on tee-to-green control.

The Poa annua greens demand firm commitment on putts in the 6- to 9-foot range. The tour average from that distance stands at roughly 54. 6% in general play; at Riviera the make rate drops to near 50%, an appreciable difference given how often those attempts occur during a round. Players who can combine ball-striking control with steady short game and putting from that band are positioned to benefit this week.

Several players were highlighted for their fit to Riviera’s test. One entrant has posted a pair of recent top-15 finishes at this event and, across his last two starts here, produced notable gains around the greens and with the putter—more than 4. 5 strokes around the green and more than 12 strokes putting across eight rounds. Another contender has shown strong closing form in recent weeks with a string of sub-70 finishes that underscore upside. Others noted include a recent runner-up at a coastal event who has alternated high and low results, and a veteran with consecutive top-20 starts this season whose profile suggests consistent finishes but a more limited ceiling in single rounds.

What we still don't know

• Whether weather patterns will require further schedule adjustments later Friday.
• The updated position on any players who may elect to withdraw after the restart.
• How the remaining first-round holes in specific groups will be sequenced once play resumes.
• Whether additional tee-time moves will cascade into later afternoon pairings.
• Any changes to broadcast timing beyond the announced afternoon window and morning streaming start.

What happens next

• Resume and complete Round 1 (trigger: players return to the course at 10: 00 a. m. ET). If completed on schedule, Round 2 will begin at 10: 40 a. m. ET for the field.
• Further weather delay (trigger: additional rain or diminishing daylight), which could push more play into Saturday and compress weekend schedules.
• Individual withdrawals or medical delays (trigger: player injury or illness), which would alter pairings and could reshuffle tee times for impacted groups.
• Broadcast adjustments (trigger: extended delays or significant leaderboard movement) that could change featured groups or the timing of live windows.

Why it matters

The schedule shift alters preparation and recovery windows for competitors, particularly those who must finish late holes in Round 1 and then tee off again in Round 2 on a compressed timeline. Riviera’s premium on fairways and its tricky Poa annua surfaces mean that momentum and timing matter: players who finish a suspended round well can carry confidence into their next tee time, while those who are delayed may face a tighter physical and tactical turnaround.

For viewers and bettors, the revised timetable compresses viewing windows and changes when key groups will be on the course during the afternoon telecast and morning streaming window. For tournament officials and broadcasters, weather-driven scheduling pressures create logistical trade-offs between completing competition on time and preserving conditions for a fair test of the field.

Monitor official updates on tee times and the status of remaining first-round players as the field reconvenes Friday morning; the immediate on-course consequences will shape who emerges as a contender over the weekend.