Preview: Northern Trust Open

The PGA Tour remains in California this week following the rain shortened Pebble Beach Pro-AM. The players and organisers will be hoping for better weather at Riviera for the Northern Trust Open

Phil Mickelson at Riviera
Fergus Bisset
By
published

Lowdown: Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades is one of the most illustrious stops on the PGA Tour. “Hogan’s Alley,” (so named because of the great man’s three victories in the Los Angeles Open in the 1940s,) the club has been the venue for three Major Championships – the 1948 US Open and the 1983 and 1995 PGA Championships. The event began life as the Los Angeles Open in 1926 and, over the years, the list of tournament winners is impressive, it includes - Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Hale Irwin, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Ben Crenshaw, Mark Calcavecchia, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Corey Pavin, Craig Stadler, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Mike Weir and Phil Mickelson. With such an array of Major champions on the roll of honour, it’s surprising that neither Jack Nicklaus nor Tiger Woods have ever lifted the trophy here. Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa will make his PGA Tour debut this week. Already twice a winner on the Japan Golf Tour, the teenager will be one of this year’s star attractions at Riviera.

Venue: Riviera Country Club, California Date: Feb 19-22 Course stats: par 71, 7,298 yards Purse: $6,300,000 Winner: $1,134,000 Defending champion: Phil Mickelson (-12)

TV coverage: Thursday  – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Friday 13 – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Saturday 14 – Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm Sunday 15 - Live on Setanta Golf from 8pm

player watch: Ernie Els – A winner here 10 years ago, “The Big Easy” should be close again this time round. Geoff Ogilvy – If he’s on top of his game the Australian is tough to beat. He already has a victory under his belt in 2009. Padraig Harrington – He finished tied third here last year and will be desperate to bounce back from a disappointing missed cut at Pebble Beach last week. Key hole: 10th. Only 315 yards but it will trip up the unwary. It’s driveable for the longest hitters but it demands extreme accuracy. The green is narrow with bunkers left, right and behind. Skills required: Shot-making – Riviera has always been a course that suits the player who can shape the ball and show imagination around the green. The list of winners confirms it.

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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