Hubbry Logo
search
logo

Los Angeles Open

logo
Community Hub0 Subscribers
Write something...
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
See all
Los Angeles Open

The Genesis Invitational is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in Southern California, first played 99 years ago in 1926 as the Los Angeles Open. Other previous names include Genesis Open, Northern Trust Open and Nissan Open. Played annually in February at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, it is often the concluding event of the tour's "West Coast Swing" early in the calendar year, before the tour moves east to Florida.

The tournament has been held at Riviera on a near-continuous basis since 1973. South Korea-based Hyundai Motor Group, through its Genesis Motors subsidiary, took over sponsorship in 2017, after nine seasons from Northern Trust Corporation, based in Chicago, following a 21-year sponsorship by Nissan Motors. Entertainer Glen Campbell was the celebrity host of the Los Angeles Open from 1971 through 1983.

Listed by most recent

Prior to World War II, the event led a nomadic existence in Southern California, moving from course to course. The inaugural event 99 years ago in 1926 was played at Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles; in 1927 the event moved to El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana for the only time. In 1928, the event moved again to Wilshire Country Club in the Hancock Park neighborhood, and 1929 and 1930 saw the event's first foray to the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades before returning again to Los Angeles for the next decade. From 1931 to 1933, the event alternated between Wilshire CC and Hillcrest Country Club, before returning to Los Angeles CC from 1934–1936. From 1937–1939, the event was played at Griffith Park (Wilson course) and again at Los Angeles CC in 1940. Babe Zaharias played in the 1938 event, being the first woman to play in a professional golf tournament for men.

In 1941, the event returned to Riviera CC and in 1942 was played again at Hillcrest CC before World War II intervened.

The event started up again in 1944 at Wilshire CC before spending the next nine years (1945–1953) at Riviera CC, which also hosted the U.S. Open in June 1948, won by Ben Hogan in a record score. In 1954, the event was played at Fox Hills Country Club (now in Culver City) and in 1955 moved to Inglewood Country Club. From 1956–1972, the event returned to Los Angeles at Rancho Park Golf Course, with the exception of 1968, which was at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, adjacent to the Rose Bowl. In early January 1962, 21-year-old Jack Nicklaus made his professional debut at the Los Angeles Open – his 289 tied for 50th (last place after the cut) at Rancho Park and earned $33.33 in prize money.

The L.A. Open was traditionally the first event of the season, played in early January; it was a late January event in 1967 and 1968, and moved to the latter half of February in 1974. The year before, it began its current relationship with Riviera CC. The tournament has only twice been played at other courses since: Rancho Park Golf Course in 1983, while Riviera prepared to host the PGA Championship, and Valencia Country Club in 1998, while Riviera prepared to host the U.S. Senior Open. The event remained at Riviera in 1995, despite Riviera hosting the PGA Championship that year, and also remained in 2017, when the course hosted the U.S. Amateur.

In 1992, the Nissan Los Angeles Open at Riviera CC was the site of Tiger Woods' first PGA Tour event as an amateur player, as a 16-year-old high school sophomore. Neither Woods nor Jack Nicklaus have won the event; Woods lost in a playoff in 1998 (at Valencia) and was again a runner-up the next year at Riviera, while Nicklaus' best finish was two strokes back in solo second in 1978. He had earned his first paycheck as a pro in the event in 1962 at Rancho Park, less than thirty four dollars.

See all
User Avatar
No comments yet.