2026 Genesis Invitational: Rain delay forces Round 1 finish Friday, tee times shifted and which players fit Riviera’s control test

The first round of the genesis invitational was halted by rain and then suspended because of darkness, pushing unfinished play into Friday and prompting a revised schedule for Round 2; the changes matter because Riviera rewards precise ball-striking and steady short‑game and putting under cramped margins.

What happened and what’s new

Play at Riviera Country Club was interrupted late in the first round when rain arrived and rounds were suspended due to darkness. Tournament organizers moved to resume the remaining holes on Friday morning, with the resumption timed in the morning hours Eastern Time and the second round set to begin later that morning after a modest shift to tee times.

• Round 1 was stopped Thursday evening because of rain and darkness; unfinished play is scheduled to restart Friday morning at the stated morning start time in Eastern Time.
• Round 2 was pushed back by 25 minutes from the originally posted window and will start after completion of the remaining first‑round holes; the early second‑round tee times are set for mid‑morning Eastern Time.
• One notable late change: a group that had been scheduled to start at 10: 27 a. m. ET now goes off later that morning alongside the same playing partners.
• Television and streaming windows for the second round include an afternoon broadcast block in the late afternoon and an early streaming window beginning in mid‑morning Eastern Time.

Behind the headline: Genesis Invitational context and stakes

The tournament closes out the West Coast swing at Riviera, a course whose design and surfaces demand consistent control. Riviera’s architectural quirks include multiple short par holes where average scores cluster around 3. 5 and 4. 5, producing a card with frequent birdies and bogeys. Missing fairways becomes increasingly costly as the round progresses; after the fifth hole, each missed fairway has been estimated to cost roughly a third of a stroke. Approach shots at Riviera arrive from varied distances and often require shaping the ball in both directions to access certain pins. The Poa annua greens place a premium on committed strokemaking, and putts from the 6‑ to 9‑foot range convert at a lower rate on this surface than the TOUR average.

That combination elevates players who pair reliable tee‑to‑green control with a strong short game. Recent player notes highlight several competitors whose recent form or historical Riviera results fit that profile: one player recorded top‑12 finishes in his last two starts at this event and, across those eight rounds, showed strong gains around the greens and with the putter while also hitting a high share of fairways in a nearby coastal event. Other players mentioned for upside include competitors who have shown late‑round surges, strong single‑week upside, or a steady baseline that produces frequent top‑20s.

What we still don’t know

• Which players still have holes to complete from the suspended first round and how many remain unfinished at the time play resumes.
• The leaderboard position for players affected by the suspension until those rounds are completed Friday morning.
• Whether additional weather interruptions will force further schedule changes beyond the current revised times.
• How the altered schedule will affect daylight and broadcast windows later in the day.

What happens next

• Round 1 resumes Friday morning and finishes before the second round begins as scheduled in mid‑morning ET; trigger: weather holds overnight and early morning.
• Additional rain delays push remaining play later into Friday or beyond, compressing the weekend schedule and shifting tee times; trigger: further adverse weather.
• Players whose early rounds were delayed face a tighter turnaround into their second‑round tee times, influencing strategy toward conservatism or aggression depending on position; trigger: completion timing of remaining first‑round holes.
• Those with proven short‑game and putting performance emerge as contenders once rounds complete, given Riviera’s putting profile from 6–9 feet and the penalty for missed fairways; trigger: course conditions and scoring patterns across the completed first and second rounds.

Why it matters

The schedule shift reshuffles competitive and broadcast rhythms for the genesis invitational. For players, completing a suspended first round under crisp morning conditions can change strategies for the second round, and Riviera’s fine margins amplify the consequences of lost momentum. For viewers and event operations, revised tee times concentrate action into narrower windows and can alter who is available for featured coverage. More broadly, courses like Riviera elevate the value of control from tee to green and of steady putting inside nine feet; in a week where weather intrudes, those skill sets become even more decisive.

Watch for the completion of the first round Friday morning and the early‑to‑mid‑morning rollout of the second round to set the tournament’s competitive shape for the weekend.