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When some of the nation’s top golfers gather from nearly 3,000 miles from their hometown of Los Angeles to participate in a bizarre indoor competition in which they hit balls into a giant screen, their minds and hearts are drawn to the destruction raging in Southern California. It was the same people affected by the wildfires.
And they discuss plans for the Genesis Invitational, the PGA Tour’s signature event with $20 million in prize money, scheduled for Feb. 13-16 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. I didn’t know much about it, but I had a lot to say about it. Fire victims and how to help them.
Tiger Woods said he knows “several people who lost everything” in the Palisades fire, adding, “We’re just trying to figure everything out and make sure everyone’s safe. We have more meetings scheduled.” “I will.”
“But right now, we’re not really focused on the tournament,” Woods added. “It’s more about what we can do to help people who are struggling, who have lost their homes and whose lives have changed.”
Woods and others suggested that instead of canceling or postponing the Genesis Invitational, the best solution might be to hold it at another location. But they clarified that no decision has been made yet. The Riviera escaped damage, but it is located in the middle of the burned-out Pacific Palisades area, and is currently inaccessible and under evacuation orders.
Woods is a sponsor of the Genesis Invitational, and the legendary Orange County-raised golfer is also the founder of TGL, which stands for TMRW Golf League. TGL is a simulator experience that held its second tournament this week at SoFi Center – not to be confused with Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium. This venue is located on the campus of Palm Beach State University in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Jupiter Links Golf Club’s Max Homa (left) and Tiger Woods trail Los Angeles Golf Club on Tuesday. The two golfers said they were following wildfires in Los Angeles County.
(Marta Lavandier/Associated Press)
So that’s exactly why Woods and fellow PGA Tour veterans with Southern California roots, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Sahis Segala, discussed the ongoing devastation caused by the fires and the future of the Riviera. It’s not golf, but it was from this perch.
“I know these natural disasters happen all too often, but this is the only time I can remember that I could picture it so well every time a news clip or someone mentions the area. It was my first time,” said Homa, who was born in Burbank and raised in Santa Clarita. “It was very creepy. Luckily all my friends and family are safe. The house isn’t necessarily all intact, but it was nice to talk to quite a few people.” And I think their perspective on, ‘We’re safe and that’s the most important thing.’
Segala grew up in Chino Hills, attended Pepperdine, and drove every day down Pacific Coast Highway to the Malibu campus. The house of his caddy Carl Smith’s sister was destroyed in a fire.
“When you see it in front of your eyes, it’s as real as it gets, scarier than any depiction in the media, scarier than any depiction,” Segala said.
For days, Morikawa couldn’t get the relentless flames out of his mind.
“Sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you think it’s over, but it’s not over yet,” said Morikawa, who grew up in La Cañada Flintridge. “Winds are picking up, the fire is still burning, people are still fighting fires, protecting their homes, helping their neighbors and helping their communities.”
Few insiders are speculating about what the PGA Tour will do at the Genesis Invitational, but Rex Hoggard, host of Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio’s “Rex and Love’s Golf Channel Podcast,” said Riviera’s He spoke with members and obtained the following results. This impression:
“I spoke to members of Rivera today and they said the club is fine. There was no damage to the golf course. There was no damage to the clubhouse. But everything around it is in ruins.” ..This member said he’s still in evacuation mode. People can’t get close to the golf course. Even if the golf course is good, they can’t go into the community.”
Co-host Ryan Ravner added: I don’t know how it gets there, but what will it be like after 3 weeks? It doesn’t seem like that’s happening. ”
The podcast will discuss whether the Genesis Invitational will be held at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, La Quinta Country Club, which currently hosts the American Express Tournament, or the Farmers Open, which will be held on January 22nd. He mentioned the possibility of moving to the Torrey Pines Golf Course. 25. Another option is the TPC course in Scottsdale, Ariz., where the Waste Management Open will be held Feb. 6-9.
Concerns are growing that Los Angeles will host three major sporting events over the next three years as it looks to rebuild from a massive and shockingly expensive fire. World Cup matches are scheduled for the summer of 2026 at SoFi Stadium. That will be followed by the 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
So far, no stadiums or arenas in the region have been damaged, and event organizers and government leaders are confident there may be no need to change plans.
“Los Angeles is defined by its resilience and determination,” LA28 Organizing Committee Chairman Casey Wasserman said in a statement. “The strength of our community and our unity in difficult times is what makes this city extraordinary, and when Los Angeles welcomes the world in 2028, our spirit will shine brighter than ever. .”
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