Scottie and Riviera: 'Weird relationship' and the End of an 18-Event Top-10 Streak at The Genesis Invitational

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler saw his remarkable streak of 18 consecutive top-10s come to an end at The Genesis Invitational, a week that underscored the strange grip Riviera Country Club holds on even the game’s best. Scheffler made a late charge but finished tied for 12th after a 65 on Sunday, leaving a historic run snapped and a familiar frustration with the course on full display.

Scottie’s week at Riviera

Scottie opened the event with a three-over 74, finding himself on the cutline until he holed a par putt on No. 18 on Friday to advance to the weekend. He described his relationship with Riviera as “weird, ” saying he feels capable of playing well there yet has not managed to do so. After a 3-under 68 in the second round and a 66 on Saturday, Scheffler produced a final-round 6-under 65 that included a back-nine 31 and six birdies in his last 12 holes. Despite that surge, a 21-foot birdie attempt on the 18th stopped an inch in front of the hole, and Scheffler finished just outside the top 10 in a tie for 12th.

How the streak unraveled: rounds, miscues and inches

• First round: Scheffler endured the worst start of his career, going 5-over through 10 holes when play was suspended for the day; he finished the opening round at 3-over after early-morning birdies on Friday.
• Middle rounds: He posted a 3-under 68 in round two and a 66 on Saturday to climb back into contention.
• Final push: Sunday’s 65 included a furious back-nine that brought him within reach of preserving his streak, but late moves by rivals and a putt that stopped an inch short on 18 left the streak at 18.

Riviera’s history and the 'weird relationship' that befuddles greats

The George C. Thomas design is often described as one of golf’s great cathedrals. Riviera has hosted U. S. Opens and PGA Championships and, since 1973, has been the site of the PGA Tour’s Los Angeles stop now known as The Genesis Invitational. A long roll call of greats have won at Riviera — Hogan, Snead, Watson, Nelson, Mickelson, Couples, Faldo, Els and Scott — but the course has also stymied other legends.

Jack Nicklaus finished runner-up twice at Riviera but never won there. Tiger Woods has a puzzling record at the course: he made his PGA Tour debut at Riviera as a 16-year-old amateur in 1992, has made 15 starts, made 10 cuts and recorded just three top-10s, including a runner-up finish to Ernie Els in 1999. Woods has said the experience is frustrating because Riviera looks comfortable to him and fits aspects of his game, describing it as a fader’s delight, yet it has not yielded the expected results.

The course’s Poa annua greens and their unpredictable, bumpy nature are often cited as part of the problem. Observers note a correlation between Riviera and Augusta National: both demand mastery of spin and trajectory while attacking small, tricky greens. Commentators have called Woods’s inability to win there inexplicable; others have said it makes no sense that a great iron player would be frustrated by Riviera.

Late leaderboard drama: Bridgeman, Fleetwood and Young

The top of the leaderboard provided additional motion that affected Scheffler’s final position. Twenty-six-year-old Jacob Bridgeman began the day with a six-shot lead that grew to seven at one point and ultimately held on for a one-shot victory. Tommy Fleetwood eclipsed Scheffler late after eagling No. 15 with a hole-out from 173 yards. Cameron Young surged by birdieing his final three holes. Those late moves pushed Scheffler down into a tie for 12th and sealed the end of the streak.

Streak context and what’s next for Scheffler

Scheffler’s run of 18 consecutive top-10s is the longest since the tour began keeping official statistics in 1983; even Tiger Woods never managed more than 11 consecutive top-10s. The Genesis result also ended a run of eight straight top-four finishes for Scheffler.

Scheffler’s next start is expected to come in two weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, followed immediately by THE PLAYERS Championship. He has won each of those events twice, and those tournaments present the next opportunities for him to rebuild momentum after Riviera.

Persistence and perspective

Despite the disappointment of losing the streak, a T-12 at a signature event and a final-round 65 underline Scheffler’s capacity to fight through adversity: he rallied from being four over through 26 holes and in danger of missing the 36-hole cut to post a weekend charge. He has emphasized that he does not quit in tournament play. For now, Riviera remains an unresolved puzzle for Scottie and for some of the game's most celebrated figures; recent weeks reinforced that even the most consistent players can be undone by the quirks of this historic venue.