The PGA Tour has yet to decide whether to move the Genesis Invitational from Riviera Country Club as wildfires continue to rip through Los Angeles.
The tournament – hosted by Tiger Woods – is slated to take place between February 13 and February 16 in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood ravaged by the flames over recent days.
The death toll has risen to 16 people, with a further 16 people missing and authorities expecting that number to rise. By Sunday morning, the infernos had consumed an area larger than San Francisco.
Five of the deaths have been attributed to the fire in Palisades, which has been called ‘one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.’
It was only 11 per cent contained at the time of writing but Riviera has so survived the blaze.
The area has been evacuated and the PGA are considering moving the tournament as firefighters struggle to stem the devastation.
Other options include postponing the Genesis Invitational or holding it at Riviera as planned. But so far, no decision has been made.
According to the LA Times, the PGA has written to its members to inform them that officials are ‘monitoring the devastating fires in Los Angeles County’.
‘At this point, it is premature to discuss the potential impact on the Genesis Invitational. Although the Riviera Country Club has not been directly affected by the fires, our immediate concern is the health and welfare of those in the affected communities, including all our members who have ties to Southern California.’
The Genesis Invitational, previously known as the Los Angeles Open, was where Woods made his PGA Tour debut as a high school student in 1992.
The 49-year-old has hosted the tournament since 2019. Riviera, meanwhile, has held major championships and is slated to be the site for the Olympic golf tournaments at LA 2028.
