The PGA Tour has been forced to move the Genesis Invitational from Riviera due to the wildfires around Los Angeles.
The event annually hosted by Tiger Woods is one of the eight Signature Events on the PGA Tour schedule for 2025 so is a big deal, but the situation around Los Angeles is so dire that the tournament has to be moved.
“In collaboration with Genesis, The Riviera Country Club and TGR Live, and out of respect for the unfolding situation, we have determined that The Genesis Invitational 2025 will be played at an alternate location the week of Feb. 10-16,” read a PGA Tour statement announcing the move.
“A venue update and additional tournament information will be provided in the coming days.”
The tragic events unfolding around Los Angeles are obviously of most importance, but the Genesis does now need a new home and the PGA Tour will be looking at other venues.
California has a plethora of top-notch courses that have staged big events, but with less than a month until the Genesis is due to tee off, would it make sense for the PGA Tour to switch to a venue being used as part of the current West Coast Swing?
As it’s not just the course that needs preparing, which in itself takes time, with the infrastructure such as the stands for fans, concessions, policing plans to put in place just a few considerations.
Yes, branding would have to be swapped but under these special circumstances it may pay to use one of four courses staging upcoming PGA Tour events…
PGA West
The Pete Dye Stadium Course is hosting the American Express this week in La Quinta California, some 150 miles east of Riviera so in the grand scheme of things not too far away at all.
It will be the course out of this bunch that will have the longest turnaround time to bring in the Genesis branding, even though under the circumstances surely that’s the least of their problems.
But the course can be repaired in plenty of time, all the signages and signposts along with spectator walkways and of course the stands can remain in place.
It seems a great option.
Torrey Pines
Coming the week after the American Express we have the Farmers Insurance Open being played on the North Course and South Course at the magnificent Torrey Pines.
Just down the road from Los Angeles in…
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