Rory McIlroy pleased with game ahead of bid for maiden Genesis Invitational title

[p]Neither world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a] nor second-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]McIlroy[/a] has managed to win at the historic Riviera Country Club course in Pacific Palisades that is celebrating its centenary this year.[/p][p]Northern Ireland star McIlroy will be making his second US tour start of the season after a tie for 14th at Pebble Beach, where three double bogeys and a triple bogey featured on his scorecard.[/p][p][b]"I think I'm just sort of working through that first little bit of the year where you're trying to shake a little bit of rust off and you're trying to find your footing a little bit and where your game is,"[/b] McIlroy said.[/p][p][b]"Felt like I learned quite a bit about my game last week, played well for a lot of it.[/b][/p][p]"Obviously made some big numbers which kept me from being right in contention on Sunday, but I feel like there's enough good in there to be encouraged going into this week.[/p][p][b]"Obviously (Riviera) presents a different challenge in itself, but I think the fact that I'm hitting a lot of good shots and hitting it close and converting a lot of putts, that has to give me confidence for not just this week but going forward."[/b][/p][embed guid="27c79325-4eaa-4833-a3dc-1838bfc7562a" url="https://x.com/i/status/2024197223115084238" social-type="twitter" /][p]Scheffler has come up empty in half a dozen starts at Riviera.[/p][p]The world number one has one title under his belt this year, at La Quinta in January, but slow starts at Phoenix and Pebble Beach proved too much to overcome.[/p][p]Scheffler, however, won't be burdened by what-ifs.[/p][p][b]"The great thing about golf is oftentimes we just get to show up the next week and start all over and compete again," [/b]said Scheffler, who appreciates the old-school challenge of The Riv.[/p][p]"I think it's an interesting golf course because there's not really many hazards. There's not really too much out of bounds that comes into play.[/p][embed guid="c439d9f7-7d32-485c-8322-01607f60d11c" url="https://x.com/i/status/2024212740844191970" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"When you look at this golf course and you look at it on paper, it seems kind of easy. Then you start playing it and you're like, hit a ball in the rough on two and you're like, 'Man this hole is kind of hard'.[/b][/p][p]"Then you don't hit the fairway on three and you're like, 'Oh, shoot, I don't know how I am going to hit the ball on the green here'.[/p][p][b]"I feel like this golf course can be about as frustrating to play as any on tour (but) overall if you execute out here, you're going to get rewarded for it."[/b][/p][p]Defending tournament champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aberg-ludvig/67ZVNhdN/"]Ludvig Aberg[/a] is also in the odd position of chasing a first Riviera win, because the event was moved to Torrey Pines last year because of the devastating wildfires that affected Pacific Palisades.[/p][p][b]"It's a little different," [/b]Aberg said.[b] "It's fun to be here."[/b][/p]