For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as we gear up for Tiger’s return.

1. OWGR: No. 1 up for grabs at Genesis

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Scottie Scheffler’s return to world No. 1 could potentially be a short one.”

• “That’s because the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, which Scheffler took back for the first time since last October with a win Sunday at the WM Phoenix Open, will again be up for grabs this week at the Genesis Invitational. World Nos. 2 and 3, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, each have chances to bump Scheffler from No. 1.”

2. Finau: I miss Brooks

Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post…”TMZ Sports caught up with Finau in Arizona during the Phoenix Open and asked him if he’s still cool with his peers to who defected to LIV, the league financed by the Saudis.”

• …”Finau added he even misses many of them.”

• “A lot of the international guys I miss, Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer,” he said. Finau then added how much he misses Jupiter’s Brooks Koepka, saying he is “one of my closest guys on tour.”

• “Finau said it’s been about a year since he’s seen many of them.”

3. 2023 U.S. Open local qualifying sites

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”The road to The Los Angeles Country Club can officially begin.”

• “The USGA announced on Monday the local and final qualifying sites for the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, which will be contested June 15-18. It will be the first time the championship will be played in Los Angeles in 75 years.”

• “Local qualifying will be held between April 17 and May 22 with 18-hole qualifiers being conducted at 109 sites across 44 U.S. states and Canada. The 36-hole final qualifying will be held May 16 in England, May 22 in Japan and Texas, and June 5 in Canada and nine other U.S. sites.”

4. On Full Swing

Adam Woodard for Golfweek speaks to Full Swing creators…“The vision for an immersive series on the lives of professional golfers goes back half a decade, but it came to fruition at a 2021 dinner at Soho House in Los Angeles.”

• “That’s where Chad Mumm met Paul Martin and James Gay-Rees for the first time. The latter co-founded Box to Box Films in 2016 – known for the highly touted Formula 1: Drive to Survive series – and listened to Mumm pitch his project.”

• “Five minutes into the dinner they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’re in. Let’s go,’” Mumm said of the meeting.”

5. Captain Lewis, again

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols… “Stacy Lewis has yet to lead Team USA into battle at a Solheim Cup, but she already has the job lined up for a second time. With the Solheim Cup being contested in back-to-back years, Lewis, 37, will lead the American team both in Spain and Virginia, the LPGA has announced.”

• “Already the youngest captain in Solheim Cup history, she’ll be 38 when Team USA tries to take back the Cup from Europe on Sept. 22-24 at Finca Cortesin in Spain. The youngest U.S. captain to date was Patty Sheehan in 2002 at age 45.”

6. A tradition continues

7. Pros excited for Tiger’s return

Cameron Morfit for PGATour.com…”News of his intentions rippled across TPC Scottsdale as players worked to complete their second rounds at the frost-delayed WM Phoenix Open on Friday afternoon.”

• “That’s great,” Jason Day said after signing his card. “That’s awesome. That’s actually really good news. I’m actually really happy about that. It’s good that he’s out, he can walk and it’s nice to be able to see that. So, yeah, I’m excited to see him (this) week. That’s going to be fun.”

• …”Still, his plan to play the Genesis came as a surprise, as Riviera CC is not an easy walk.”

• “I imagine we’ll be carrying him down the hill on 1 and up it on 18, which no one would mind,” said Max Homa, a Southern California native who won the 2021 Genesis Invitational. “But it’s awesome. I’m really glad he’s back. I think we’re privileged any time he plays now.”

8. Oddsmakers preparing for Woods wagers

Will Gray for PGATour.com…”Woods will attract plenty of fanfare from those on-site at Riviera, and oddsmakers know that he’ll receive an equally outsized amount of attention this week from bettors.”

• “Woods will face a tall task to return to the winner’s circle against a stacked field – and break the TOUR’s all-time wins mark in the process – and he’s priced accordingly in the outright markets. Oddsmakers at BetMGM have listed Woods at +15000 (150/1) to win this week, the same odds as Joel Dahmen, Kurt Kitayama and Matt Kuchar among others. It’s a far cry from his position in 2020, his most recent Genesis start, when he was priced among the tournament favorites and just months removed from winning the 2019 ZOZO Championship. After teeing off at +2000, Woods went on to finish 68th.”

• “Over the years, his price has had the ‘Tiger element,’” explained a spokesperson for the BetMGM trading team. “This time around, we are seeing odds on him to win that we’re not accustomed to at 150/1. But the fact is that he is much older, this is his first time up after a long spell through injury, and more so than anything, there are simply more and more better golfers on TOUR.”

9. Tiger’s scouting mission

Elliott Heath for Golf Monthly…”Tiger Woods was spotted on a scouting mission at this year’s US Open venue Los Angeles Country Club ahead of the venue’s debut men’s Major in June.”

• “The 15-time Major champion makes his first regular PGA Tour start this week at the Genesis Invitational since October 2020’s Zozo Championship. It’s his first competitive start on the PGA Tour since last July’s 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.”

• “Woods confirmed his participation in this Genesis Invitational on Friday, posting on social media: “I’m ready to play an ACTUAL PGA Tour event next week @thegenesisinv.”