Rueck Secures Victory with Birdie on Second Playoff Hole at Genesis Invitational Collegiate
In a thrilling showdown at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Cole Rueck from Boise State clinched victory over Petr Hruby of Washington, sinking a crucial seven-foot birdie on the second playoff hole. This dramatic triumph marked Rueck's success at the ninth Genesis Invitational Collegiate, setting the stage for excitement ahead of the PGA Tour's Genesis Open, scheduled to commence on Thursday at Riviera.
This nail-biting playoff mirrored the previous year's event, where in 2023, Jack Wall of Tennessee Tech secured the title with an eagle on the second extra hole, outplaying Alex Goff of Kentucky.
Sophomore Rueck, hailing from Corvallis, Ore., and already earning an exemption into the Genesis Scottish Open in July at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, displayed exceptional skill. Both Rueck and Hruby concluded regulation play with impressive one-under-par 71 scores.
Caleb Shetler of San Jose State shot a solid 72, tying for third place with Chuan-Tai Lin of Washington and Riccardo Fantinelli of Princeton. Kristof Panke of Wyoming finished with a total of 73, sharing the fifth spot with Sangha Park of Texas-Permian Basin.
Kristopher Stiles of San Jose State secured the eighth position with a score of 74, while Taehoon Song of Washington posted a 75, tying for ninth alongside his Husky teammate Bo Peng.
Looking back at the Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase, illustrious past winners include Will Zalatoris, Sahith Theegala, Scottie Scheffler, and Sean Yu. Rueck's triumph adds another memorable chapter to this prestigious event's history.