Genesis Invitational Delayed Due to Heavy Rain

PGA Tour event at Riviera Golf Club postponed due to wet course conditions

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The Genesis Invitational, a PGA Tour event being held at Riviera Golf Club in Los Angeles, has been delayed due to heavy rain that has left the course's greens too wet for play. PGA Tour officials suspended play early on Thursday as maintenance crews worked to squeegee the greens, but the forecast calls for the rain to continue through the morning. Tournament leader Akshay Bhatia was 3-under par through 6 holes when play was halted.

Why it matters

The Genesis Invitational is a high-profile PGA Tour event, with added interest this year due to the involvement of golf legend Tiger Woods. The weather delay could impact the tournament schedule and potentially the outcome, as players will have to adjust to changing course conditions.

The details

PGA Tour Rules Official Orlando Pope cited the wet greens as the primary reason for suspending play, stating that 'it's not a dangerous situation, but it is just too much water on the greens. We're losing greens left and right.' Maintenance crews were working to squeegee the greens in an effort to make them playable, but the forecast calls for the heavy rain to continue through the morning.

  • Play was suspended early on Thursday, February 19, 2026.
  • The heaviest rain is expected between 10 a.m. and noon local time.

The players

Akshay Bhatia

The tournament leader at the time play was suspended, Bhatia was 3-under par through 6 holes.

Tiger Woods

Golf legend and participant in the Genesis Invitational, Woods commented on the potential for the tournament to be moved to a different month in the future to avoid weather issues.

Orlando Pope

A PGA Tour Rules Official who cited the wet greens as the primary reason for suspending play.

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What they’re saying

“It's not a dangerous situation, but it is just too much water on the greens. We're losing greens left and right.”

— Orlando Pope, PGA Tour Rules Official (clutchpoints.com)

“You're not going to get weather like this. That's number one. We're going to have perfect days. It's always perfect in SoCal here in August.”

— Tiger Woods (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

PGA Tour officials will continue to monitor the weather and course conditions, and will reassess when play can resume.

The takeaway

The weather delay at the Genesis Invitational highlights the challenges golfers and tournament organizers face when dealing with unpredictable weather, and the potential need to consider scheduling changes to avoid such disruptions in the future.