There has to be a big question mark over the Genesis Invitational this year following the tragic fires in Los Angeles which have claimed the lives of more than 20 people.
Golf is obviously completely irrelevant at a time like this. It certainly would be a terrible look for the PGA Tour if the Genesis Invitational went ahead as planned at a time when so many people in California have lost everything.
The signature event boasts a purse of $20 million. So, at a time when the riches in the sport already seem unsustainable, it is hard to imagine Riviera hosting the tournament this year given what is happening on its doorstep.
The problem for the PGA Tour is what they do with the Genesis Invitational. The tournament is set to start exactly one month today. So the options for where they could take the event could be limited.
What a Riviera member said about the course and the surrounding area ahead of the Genesis Invitational
But it would indeed appear that Riviera will almost certainly not host the tournament. Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard shared what a member at the club told him about the condition of the course and the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, he also noted what could happen to the Genesis if it is moved.
“I wouldn’t have it there. The option is to play it somewhere else, and I have heard some other options. They could do it at Sherwood, Thousand Oaks. They have done it there before. They could move it back to Palm Springs. I heard Torrey Pines, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, to have two big events back to back,” he said.
“But I spoke with a member today at Riviera and he said the club is fine. The golf course didn’t receive any damage and the clubhouse hasn’t received any damage. But everything around it is devastated. This member told me they are still in evacuation mode. People can’t get anywhere close to the golf course. Even if the golf course is fine and can logistically pull it off, I think it would be such a drain on the resources of that community I don’t know how you have it there.”
The course which could step in to host the Genesis Invitational
During the 2020 season, Muirfield Village hosted both the Workday Charity Open and the Memorial in successive weeks due to the pandemic. And interestingly, there were 10 shots difference between the winning score at the two events.
That suggests that there is scope for another course to step in. And according to Golf Digest, there is a chance at TPC Scottsdale could host the Genesis Invitational the week after the Waste Management Phoenix Open. There is a much smaller chance of the Mexico Open venue of Vidanta Vallarta hosting back to back.
Perhaps they could be able to switch things around with another signature event. However, that is clearly easier said than done.
But judging by Hoggard’s comments, it does appear that unless they can find another venue, the Genesis Invitational will not be taking place this year.
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