LA wildfires spread perilously close to Riviera Country Club, threatening Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour event
A historic golf course and prestigious PGA Tour and Olympic venue is under threat from the devastating wildfires ravaging the city of Los Angeles.
Deadly fires have torn through the ritzy enclave of Pacific Palisades, rapidly spreading through the City of Angels and reducing the affluent neighborhood and surrounding suburbs to ash and rubble.
As heroic firefighters still battle hellish conditions on the front lines of at least five different fires, a mandatory evacuation zone has been put in place to the northwest of Los Angeles.
After destroying hundreds of properties, the Pacific Palisades fire continues to threaten countless more, including the near-100-year-old Riviera Country Club.
The golf course, one of the most historic in the United States, has fallen within the evacuation zone and is at risk of falling victim to further devastation.
Photos, showing Riviera with the wildfire looming dangerously close on the horizon, began to circulate on social media Wednesday, casting doubt over the future of the course.
Riviera Country Club, home to one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious events, is under threat
As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, the course has been placed in the mandatory evacuation zone
The perilous conditions come just over a month before Tiger Woods is scheduled to host the Genesis Invitational, one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious tournaments, at Riviera.
The Genesis, which will be played from February 13 to 16, is one of the elevated signature events on the PGA Tour’s calendar with a $20million prize purse.
Beyond February’s tour event, Riviera is also slated to host the 2026 US Women’s Open, the golf events for the LA 2028 Olympics and the 2031 US Open.
Established in 1926 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, Riviera has played host to a PGA Tour event every year since 1973 with the exception of 1983 and 1998.
It also hosted the Los Angeles Open in 1929, 1930 and from 1945-53, along with the 1948 US Open and the PGA Championship in 1983 and 1995.
‘It’s sad because I played with four guys from LA today, and they’re stressed out,’ Keegan Bradley said from this week’s event, the Sony Open. ‘Their families had to evacuate, and their homes could be gone. It’s sad.’
At least five people have lost their lives in the disaster so far – with 2,000 structures obliterated and thousands of people left with nothing but ash across the city.
The Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods (left), is to take place at Riviera in February
More than 130,000 people are under evacuation orders while Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes and Paris Hilton are among the stars who said they had lost homes. Billy Crystal and his wife Janice lost their home of 45 years in the Palisades Fire.
In addition to Riviera, the sports world and its stars have been impacted by the deadly wildfires.
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, while the NFL continues to monitor the situation with both local teams preparing for the playoffs.
The Rams are scheduled to host the Minnesota Vikings for a Wild Card playoff matchup on Monday night in Inglewood. The league revealed its contingency plan on Wednesday, stating that the game could be moved to the Arizona Cardinals’ stadium if needed.
Meanwhile, according to Chris Haynes, NBA star Kawhi Leonard is ‘stepping away’ from the Los Angeles Clippers to help family that have been evacuated due to the Pacific Palisades wildfire hours before the team’s game against the Nuggets.
In fact, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick and his family have already evacuated from that same area, as he revealed to reporters Wednesday: ‘Our family, my wife’s family, my wife’s twin sister, they’ve evacuated. I know a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family.’
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr isn’t in any immediate danger, but told reporters that his 90-year-old mother Ann was among those evacuated from the Pacific Palisades fire on Wednesday.
At least five people have lost their lives in the disaster so far – with 2,000 structures obliterated
What’s more, ESPN canceled Wednesday’s broadcast of NBA Today from its LA studio, while schools abutting the Palisades fire such as UCLA and Pepperdine are holding steady, but prepared to cancel any number of sporting events at a moments notice. And FS1 host Emmanuel Acho revealed Wednesday night that he, too, was forced to evacuate.
Another local Los Angeles club has already fallen victim to the tragedy. Altadena Golf Course, located just under five miles from the iconic Rose Bowl stadium, announced that it had not survived the fire in a heartbreaking post.
‘It is with a heavy heart that we share the loss of Altadena Golf Course.,’ the nine-hole course posted.
‘During this time we’re focused on supporting our community, employees, and everyone affected by this tragic event. We extend our deepest gratitude to the brave firefighters, first responders, and volunteers who are working through this.’
The club, which opened in 1910, added: ‘We are sorry to say that the Altadena Golf Course Clubhouse did not survive the fire. We will come back stronger.’
