The Genesis Invitational will feature an impressive line-up for the TigerWoods-hosted event. The planet's leading two golfers, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, spearhead the 72-strong field at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

They'll be accompanied by the likes of reigning champion Ludvig Aberg and Collin Morikawa, fresh from his Pebble Beach Pro-Am triumph. Host Woods won't be competing, though. The 15-time major winner, who celebrated his 50th birthday in December, hasn't featured in competition since the 2024 Open at Royal Troon because of his string of injury issues.

Nevertheless, speaking to reporters before the Genesis, he indicated a potential return could be imminent, suggesting an appearance at April's Masters remains a possibility. Here's a summary of this week's other golf news....

McIlroy overlooked

McIlroy has missed out on a prestigious honour. DP World Tour professionals have selected their player of the year, and despite the Northern Irishman claiming the tour's Race to Dubai title for a fourth straight season, it proved insufficient to secure him the Seve Ballesteros Award for a fifth time.

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The honour instead went to Marco Penge, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign that delivered three victories, a runner-up finish to McIlroy in the Race to Dubai standings and a rise into the world's top 30.

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The Englishman was the highest-ranked amongst the 10 DP World Tour professionals to earn dual membership on the PGA Tour for the 2026 season and will make his latest appearance on the American circuit at the Genesis.

Penge said: "I feel incredibly honoured to have won this prestigious award. I had a great season last year on the DP World Tour, but to have that recognised by my fellow competitors really means a lot."

Woods addresses Ryder Cup captaincy

Woods has disclosed that he has been approached about becoming the next US Ryder Cup captain. There were expectations in some circles that he would helm the team at the 2025 edition in New York, but he ruled himself out due to scheduling conflicts.

Woods has again been linked with the position ahead of the 2027 contest in Ireland, when Team USA will seek to win the match on European territory for the first time since 1993. When questioned about that possibility at the Genesis, he told reporters: "They have asked me for my input on it, and I haven't made my decision yet.

"I'm trying to figure out what we're trying to do with our [PGA] Tour. That's been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do... our Team USA and our players and everyone that's going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time."

Woods keeps himself busy as a member of the PGA Tour's policy board and the Future Competition Committee.

Presenter barred from Augusta

A former golf broadcaster reckons he's been permanently barred from Augusta National after a gag went wrong. Ex-ESPN and SportsCenter host Kenny Mayne has reported on numerous tournaments, including the US Open and the Players Championship, but the Masters appears to be off the table for him.

Mayne has revealed to Golf Digest that a wisecrack he made while covering the Players at TPC Sawgrass landed him in trouble. He explained: "At TPC one year, I just made some smarta** comment about, 'We'll see you at the Masters, where we bring four saucy ladies out to play!' Or, you know, just something stupid, right?

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"But mentioning that I'm bringing women to play golf. And [Augusta National] called into the ESPN truck, like we're still on the air, and the people in Augusta are literally... they somehow have the inside number to the truck. And they were like, 'He is not coming!' So I was never invited to go by my lords."

Augusta National scrapped its men-only membership rule in 2012, although it continues to operate on an invitation-only basis.