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Genesis Invitational moves to Torrey Pines because of L.A. fires near Riviera Country Club

Jason Day hits from the 10th tee as storm clouds move during the final round of the Genesis Invitational.
Jason Day hits from the 10th tee during the final round of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on Feb. 18, 2024. This year’s tournament has moved to Torrey Pines Golf Course due to the Palisades fire.
(Ryan Kang / Associated Press)

After nearly two weeks of weighing options because of the wildfires in Los Angeles, the PGA Tour will move the Genesis Invitational from Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades to Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla on Feb. 10-16, the tour announced Friday.

The tour announced Jan. 16 that the tournament would not be played at Riviera, which emerged unscathed by the fires but is in the midst of neighborhoods devastated by the deadly Palisades fire, which had burned more than 23,000 acres, destroyed 6,809 structures and damaged another 972 structures. Eleven people are dead because of the blaze.

Riviera is wedged between the east end of Pacific Palisades and Brentwood, about two blocks east of West Sunset Boulevard and one block northwest of San Vicente Boulevard at 1250 Capri Drive. The course opened in 1927 as the Los Angeles Athletic Club Golf Course and the main clubhouse, built in a Spanish revival style, followed in 1928.

“As we’ve seen the last two weeks, sports can be a great diversion but an even greater unifier in bringing people together for a common cause,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said Friday in a statement. “Highlighting the resilience of Los Angeles and the need for continued support for the ongoing recovery efforts is what our collective teams are working towards with the playing of The Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines.”

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Torrey Pines Golf Course is the site of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open, which is being played on the North and South courses. The Genesis Invitational is scheduled to utilize the South Course, and much of the required infrastructure is already in place.

The Genesis is sponsored by 15-time majors champion and Southern California native Tiger Woods.

“We are grateful to the city of San Diego and Torrey Pines for hosting the 2025 Genesis Invitational, and to everyone who has reached out in support of the tournament,” Woods said in a statement. “While Riviera remains the home of The Genesis Invitational, we look forward to playing on another championship caliber golf course this year and using the tournament to support those affected by the fires in the Los Angeles area.”

Tiger Woods and other golfers — Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala — with SoCal roots are following the fire in Pacific Palisades, where next month’s Genesis Invitational is scheduled.

The PGA Tour said in a statement that it plans for the Genesis Invitational to return in 2026 to Riviera, which has been the venue for the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Senior Open and the NCAA championships.

Debuting in 1926 at Los Angeles Country Club as the Los Angeles Open, the tournament was staged at various courses throughout the Los Angeles area before permanently settling at the Riviera Country Club in 1973. Known as the site of Jack Nicklaus’ professional debut and with 25 champions in the World Golf Hall of Fame, the tournament and Riviera have seen many major moments in golf history.

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