The golf world is devastated. The condition of the LA fire is getting worse. It has already taken the lives of five people, as per the New York Times, and has compelled more than ten thousand people to leave their homes. Additionally, with the outrageous fire, the city is also running out of water resources. As the firefighters were trying to come through the blaze, the fire hydrants ran empty.

Even LA developer Rick Caruso reported that there is no water in the fire hydrants. “The firefighters are there [in the neighborhood], and there’s nothing they can do — we’ve got neighborhoods burning, homes burning, and businesses burning. … It should never happen,” he said. This only makes the golf community all the more concerned. Bob Estes, 4x PGA Tour winner, also expressed his emotions, and wrote on his official X account, “No more water to fight the fires in L A and fire coverage canceled by many insurance companies. Very sad.”

The Riviera Country Club, home to the prestigious Genesis Invitational—hosted by none other than Tiger

Woods himself—is also in the evacuation zone. This sudden disaster has thrown everything into uncertainty with the tournament just a month away. The fire started around 10:30 AM local time yesterday and spread quickly, covering over 200 acres in just an hour. It has engulfed over 1,260 acres and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Strong winds make it difficult for fire crews to get control.

Many other members of the golf fraternity shared their thoughts on this devastating fire. Michelle Wie West, who is a California resident took to social media to express her concern, posting a video of the fire on her Instagram story with a heartbroken caption, “LA 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔”. Even Brooks Koepka’s wife, Jena Sims, took to her Instagram to express concerns over the same and wrote, “This is just beyond devastating.”

Apart from the fact that LA is running out of water, California is supposed to have good coverage of insurance right? Given that it has so many companies supporting them. But as it turns out, companies have pulled out of it too. This has only made it all the more difficult for people to survive the wildfire, and get back on their feet. But the damage has already been done to the golf world. But the question is, why is the Riviera so important for the community?

The Riviera Golf Club is special

At the 2022 Genesis Invitational Press Conference at the Riviera Golf Club, Jordan Spieth shared how much he enjoys playing there. “If I could pick one non-major PLAYERS Championship to win on the PGA Tour, it would be here,” Spieth said. “I love Riviera. I think it’s in the conversation as the best golf course in the world.” For a player who grabbed a victory at the Augusta National in 2015, which is regarded as one of the greatest and toughest courses, it is indeed a rather high praise for Riviera. And well, he is not alone in the praises.

“This is the best golf course we play all year,” Justin Thomas added. “You could ask the majority of the Tour and we would play here every other week if we could.” Tom Marzolf, who is a senior designer at Fazio Design, also stated: “If you’ve seen and played Riviera, this course is in your top 10.”

Riviera Country Club is a perennial showcase of beauty and challenge. Tucked into a canyon in Los Angeles’ upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood, George Thomas, with assistance from William Bell, achieved remarkable results with limited resources—arguably unmatched by any other golf architect before or since.

Despite being only four holes wide, Thomas, a member of the Philadelphia School of golf course architecture, designed a masterful layout. Each of the 18 holes stands out with unique character and intrigue, ensuring no two are ever the same. So yeah, Riviera is indeed special! The course is also set to host the 2026 US Women’s Open, the 2028 US Olympics, and the 2031 US Open.