The PGA Tour will head back to Torrey Pines in the middle of February after the iconic San Diego course was selected as an alternative venue for the Genesis Invitational.
Riviera Country Club, one of the PGA Tour’s most highly-regarded courses, usually hosts the Genesis, which is the third PGA Tour Signature Event of the season.
But, after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Torrey Pines will now host the event just a matter of weeks after the annual Farmers Insurance Open took place in San Diego.
Once the PGA Tour was confirmed to be heading back to the 2021 US Open venue, 18 players eventually withdrew from the Farmers Insurance.
Tiger Woods reacts after Genesis Invitational news confirmed
Tiger Woods, who is the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational, has now explained why Torrey Pines was selected as the new venue.
“Yeah, the meeting we had was very difficult with the Watanabes. Riv is just not ready. We want to stay within — on the West Coast, and it narrowed those options down to possibly up near Pebble or to Phoenix or to Vegas or to San Diego or to Palm Springs,” Woods said after his TGL match on Monday.
“There were so many different options out on the table, and we were trying to be understanding to all the victims that these fires have caused, has brought to them. The fact that we were able to, with the city of San Diego, were able to stay within Southern California, with respect to the difficulties in LA, I think it’s important that we were able to stay in Southern California because everyone who was born and raised out in Southern Cal can all relate to the fires.
“It’s a difficult situation, and we want to be very sensitive to that.
I think because we’re in Southern California, I think we’re able to — I think we’re going to be able to raise more money for all the losses that have incurred.”
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Will Scottie Scheffler play in the Genesis Invitational?
Thankfully, world number one Scottie Scheffler will feature at Genesis after returning from injury. The two-time Masters winner will tee it up at Pebble Beach before playing the WM Phoenix Open and then heading to San Diego.
Rory McIlroy will also be in action. The Northern Irishman is playing the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, his first PGA Tour start of 2025. World number two Xander Schauffele is a doubt, however.
Schauffele missed the Farmers Insurance Open due to injury. The American is reportedly suffering from an acute intercostal strain.
According to The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig, Schauffele has been cleared to return to the course. But, due to the nature of the injury, it could be a few weeks until the two-time major winner is deemed fully fit.
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