Reference articles on history, science, culture and more
Encyclopedia

Los Angeles Open

Golf tournament held in Los Angeles, California, US

Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

The Genesis Invitational is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in Southern California, first played 100 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.

01Tournament sites

Listed by most recent

Times
hosted
VenueLocationYears
61Riviera Country ClubPacific
Palisades
1929-1930, 1941, 1945-1953,
1973-1982, 1984-1997, 1999-2024, 2026,
1Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course)San Diego2025
1Valencia Country ClubValencia1998
17Rancho Park Golf CourseLos Angeles1956-1967, 1969-1972, 1983
1Brookside Golf CoursePasadena1968
1Inglewood Country ClubInglewood1955
1Fox Hills Country ClubCulver City1954
4Wilshire Country ClubLos Angeles1928, 1931, 1933, 1944
2Hillcrest Country ClubLos Angeles1932, 1942
5Los Angeles Country ClubLos Angeles1926, 1934-1936, 1940
3Griffith Park (Wilson course)^Los Angeles1937-1939
1El Caballero Country ClubTarzana1927
Not held in 1943
^ One round of the first two was played on the adjacent Harding course

02History

Prior to World War II, the event led a nomadic existence in Southern California, moving from course to course. The inaugural event 100 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: back at Rancho Park in 1983, while Riviera prepared to host the PGA Championship in August, and Valencia Country Club in 1998, while Riviera prepared to host the U.S. Senior Open in late July. The event remained at Riviera in 1995, despite hosting the PGA Championship that August, and also remained in 2017, when it hosted the U.S. Amateur in late August.

In 1992, Riviera 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.

The 2001 event was only the second time that a six-player playoff was needed in PGA Tour history to determine the tournament winner. Robert Allenby won the playoff ahead of Toshi Izawa, Brandel Chamblee, Bob Tway, Jeff Sluman, and Dennis Paulson.

In 2005, the tournament was shortened by 36 holes due to rain. Adam Scott defeated Chad Campbell on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff on a Monday. Due to the event's length, this win is counted as unofficial for Scott.

In 2007, Rich Beem made a hole-in-one at the 14th hole on Saturday to win a new red Altima coupe, which he immediately ascended, embraced, and sat atop of in triumph. The sequence was later made into a Nissan commercial. (video) Beem credited Peter Jacobsen for inspiring his reaction; Jacobsen aced the same hole thirteen years earlier in 1994 then hopped into the nearby 300ZX convertible and pretended to drive it.

In September 2007, it was originally announced that Bearing Point, a consulting firm based in McLean, Virginia, would become the new title sponsor of the tournament, but Northern Trust became the title sponsor beginning in February 2008. The five-year agreement, which extended through the 2012 event, was announced October 15, 2007, by PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and William A. Osborn, Chairman and CEO of Northern Trust Corporation. The tournament became known as the Northern Trust Open, and the new partnership marks the beginning of a process of transformation for this high-profile tournament. As part of the initial move to enhance the tournament, the Northern Trust Open increased its purse to $6.2 million in 2008, an increase of $1 million over 2007. Additionally, the tournament pro-am went from four amateurs to three per group. After the initial 5-year agreement, it was extended 4 years to cover Northern Trust's partnership through the 2016 event.

Phil Mickelson won the 2008 tournament and successfully defended the title in 2009 with a one-stroke victory over Steve Stricker. In 2010, Stricker came back to win the Northern Trust Open and secure his ranking of the number two player in the world. In 2016, Bubba Watson won the tournament for a second time in three years, holding off Adam Scott and Jason Kokrak to win by one shot with a 15-under-par total.

Following the demise of The National tournament after 2018, which was run by the Tiger Woods Foundation, the Genesis Open was converted to an invitational for 2020, with a larger purse and a smaller field.

Due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, the 2025 edition was moved from Riviera to Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. Torrey Pines hosted the Farmers Insurance Open three weeks earlier, with one round on the North course (either Thursday or Friday) and three on the South; all four rounds of the Genesis Invitational were on the South course.

03Invitational status

The Genesis Invitational is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour, and consequently it has a reduced field of only 69 players in 2024 (as opposed to most full-field open tournaments with a field of 156 players). The other four are the Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, Charles Schwab Challenge, and the Memorial Tournament.

Invitational tournaments have smaller fields (between 69 and 132 players), and have more freedom than full-field open tournaments in determining which players are eligible to participate in their event, as invitational tournaments are not required to fill their fields using the PGA Tour Priority Ranking System. Furthermore, unlike full-field open tournaments, invitational tournaments do not offer open qualifying (aka Monday qualifying). The winner is granted a three-year tour exemption, rather than two.

04Field

The field consists of at least 120 players invited using the following criteria:

  1. Genesis winners from past five years
  2. The Players Championship and major championship winners in the last five years
  3. FedEx Cup winners in the last five years (beginning with the 2019 winner)
  4. World Golf Championships winners in the past three years
  5. Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial Tournament winners in the past three years
  6. Tournament winner since last Genesis
  7. Prior year U.S. Amateur winner (may have turned professional)
  8. Current PGA Tour members who were playing members of last named Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams
  9. Top 125 from prior year FedEx Cup points list
  10. Top 10 from the current FedEx Cup points list (as of Friday prior)
  11. 12 sponsor exemptions, 2 from Web.com Tour finals, 2 members not otherwise exempt, and 8 unrestricted
  12. If necessary, field filled to 120 from current year FedEx Cup point list (as of Friday prior)

Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption

In 2009, the tournament designated one unrestricted exemption for a player who represents the advancement of diversity in golf. The exemption is called the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption, in honor of pioneering black golfer and 1969 tournament winner Charlie Sifford. While most of the recipients have been of African-American descent, the 2015 exemption went to PGA Tour rookie Carlos Sainz Jr., of Filipino and Bolivian descent; and the 2016 recipient, J. J. Spaun, is also of Filipino descent.

The 2018 exemption went to Cameron Champ, who nine months later became the first past recipient of this exemption to win on the PGA Tour when he won the Sanderson Farms Championship in the fall portion of the 2019 season. In 2020, Joseph Bramlett became the first two-time recipient of the award.

Year Player Result
2009 Vincent Johnson CUT
2010 Joshua Wooding CUT
2011 Joseph Bramlett CUT
2012 Andy Walker CUT
2013 Jeremiah Wooding T42
2014 Harold Varner III T70
2015 Carlos Sainz Jr. CUT
2016 J. J. Spaun CUT
2017 Kevin Hall CUT
2018 Cameron Champ CUT
2019 Timothy O'Neal CUT
2020 Joseph Bramlett (2) T51
2021 Willie Mack III CUT
2022 Aaron Beverly CUT

05Course layout

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards5034714342364341994084334583,5763155834794591924871665904753,7467,322
Par544343444354544343543671

Source:

06Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upPurse
($)
Winner's
share ($)
Ref.
Genesis Invitational
2026 Jacob Bridgeman266−181 stroke Kurt Kitayama
Rory McIlroy
20,000,0004,000,000
2025 Ludvig Åberg276−121 stroke Maverick McNealy20,000,0004,000,000
2024 Hideki Matsuyama267−173 strokes Luke List
Will Zalatoris
20,000,0004,000,000
2023 Jon Rahm267−172 strokes Max Homa20,000,0003,600,000
2022 Joaquín Niemann265−192 strokes Collin Morikawa
Cameron Young
12,000,0002,160,000
2021 Max Homa272−12Playoff Tony Finau9,300,0001,674,000
2020 Adam Scott (2)273−112 strokes Scott Brown
Kang Sung-hoon
Matt Kuchar
9,300,0001,674,000
Genesis Open
2019 J. B. Holmes270−141 stroke Justin Thomas7,400,0001,332,000
2018 Bubba Watson (3)272−122 strokes Kevin Na
Tony Finau
7,200,0001,296,000
2017 Dustin Johnson267−175 strokes Scott Brown
Thomas Pieters
7,000,0001,260,000
Northern Trust Open
2016 Bubba Watson (2)269−151 stroke Jason Kokrak
Adam Scott
6,800,0001,224,000
2015 James Hahn278−6Playoff Paul Casey
Dustin Johnson
6,700,0001,206,000
2014 Bubba Watson269−152 strokes Dustin Johnson6,700,0001,206,000
2013 John Merrick273−11Playoff Charlie Beljan6,600,0001,188,000
2012 Bill Haas277−7Playoff Keegan Bradley
Phil Mickelson
6,600,0001,188,000
2011 Aaron Baddeley272−122 strokes Vijay Singh6,500,0001,170,000
2010 Steve Stricker268−162 strokes Luke Donald6,400,0001,152,000
2009 Phil Mickelson (2)269−151 stroke Steve Stricker6,300,0001,134,000
2008 Phil Mickelson272−122 strokes Jeff Quinney6,200,0001,116,000
Nissan Open
2007 Charles Howell III268−16Playoff Phil Mickelson5,200,000936,000
2006 Rory Sabbatini271−131 stroke Adam Scott5,100,000918,000
2005 Adam Scott133−9Playoff Chad Campbell4,800,000864,000
2004 Mike Weir (2)267−171 stroke Shigeki Maruyama4,800,000864,000
2003 Mike Weir275−9Playoff Charles Howell III4,500,000810,000
2002 Len Mattiace269−151 stroke Brad Faxon
Scott McCarron
Rory Sabbatini
3,700,000666,000
2001 Robert Allenby276−8Playoff Brandel Chamblee
Toshimitsu Izawa
Dennis Paulson
Jeff Sluman
Bob Tway
3,400,000612,000
2000 Kirk Triplett272−121 stroke Jesper Parnevik3,100,000558,000
1999 Ernie Els270−142 strokes Davis Love III
Ted Tryba
Tiger Woods
2,800,000504,000
1998 Billy Mayfair272−12Playoff Tiger Woods2,100,000378,000
1997 Nick Faldo272−123 strokes Craig Stadler1,400,000252,000
1996 Craig Stadler278−61 stroke Mark Brooks
Fred Couples
Scott Simpson
Mark Wiebe
1,200,000216,000
1995 Corey Pavin (2)268−163 strokes Jay Don Blake
Kenny Perry
1,200,000216,000
Nissan Los Angeles Open
1994 Corey Pavin271−132 strokes Fred Couples1,000,000180,000
1993 Tom Kite206−73 strokes Dave Barr
Fred Couples
Donnie Hammond
Payne Stewart
1,000,000180,000
1992 Fred Couples (2)269−15Playoff Davis Love III1,000,000180,000
1991 Ted Schulz272−121 stroke Jeff Sluman1,000,000180,000
1990 Fred Couples266−183 strokes Gil Morgan1,000,000180,000
1989 Mark Calcavecchia272−121 stroke Sandy Lyle1,000,000180,000
Los Angeles Open
1988 Chip Beck267−174 strokes Mac O'Grady
Bill Sander
750,000135,000
1987 Chen Tze-chung275−9Playoff Ben Crenshaw600,000108,000
1986 Doug Tewell270−147 strokes Clarence Rose450,00081,000
1985 Lanny Wadkins (2)264−207 strokes Hal Sutton400,00072,000
1984 David Edwards279−53 strokes Jack Renner400,00072,000
Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open
1983 Gil Morgan (2)270−142 strokes Gibby Gilbert
Mark McCumber
Lanny Wadkins
300,00054,000
1982 Tom Watson (2)271−13Playoff Johnny Miller300,00054,000
1981 Johnny Miller270−142 strokes Tom Weiskopf300,00054,000
1980 Tom Watson276−81 stroke Bob Gilder
Don January
250,00045,000
1979 Lanny Wadkins276−81 stroke Lon Hinkle250,00045,000
1978 Gil Morgan278−62 strokes Jack Nicklaus225,00040,000
1977 Tom Purtzer273−111 stroke Lanny Wadkins225,00040,000
1976 Hale Irwin272−122 strokes Tom Watson185,00037,000
1975 Pat Fitzsimons275−94 strokes Tom Kite150,00030,000
1974 Dave Stockton276−82 strokes John Mahaffey
Sam Snead
150,00030,000
1973 Rod Funseth276−83 strokes Don Bies
David Graham
Dave Hill
Tom Weiskopf
135,00027,000
1972 George Archer270−14Playoff Tommy Aaron
Dave Hill
125,00025,000
1971 Bob Lunn274−10Playoff Billy Casper110,00022,000
Los Angeles Open
1970 Billy Casper (2)276−8Playoff Hale Irwin100,00020,000
1969 Charlie Sifford276−8Playoff Harold Henning100,00020,000
1968 Billy Casper274−103 strokes Arnold Palmer100,00020,000
1967 Arnold Palmer (3)269−155 strokes Gay Brewer100,00020,000
1966 Arnold Palmer (2)273−113 strokes Miller Barber
Paul Harney
70,00011,000
1965 Paul Harney (2)276−83 strokes Dan Sikes70,00012,000
1964 Paul Harney280−41 stroke Bobby Nichols50,0007,500
1963 Arnold Palmer274−103 strokes Al Balding
Gary Player
50,0009,000
1962 Phil Rodgers268−169 strokes Bob Goalby
Fred Hawkins
45,0007,500
1961 Bob Goalby275−93 strokes Eric Brown
Art Wall Jr.
45,0007,500
1960 Dow Finsterwald280−43 strokes Bill Collins
Jay Hebert
Dave Ragan
37,5005,500
1959 Ken Venturi278−62 strokes Art Wall Jr.35,0005,300
1958 Frank Stranahan275−93 strokes Dutch Harrison35,0007,000
1957 Doug Ford280−41 stroke Jay Hebert37,5007,000
1956 Lloyd Mangrum (4)272−123 strokes Jerry Barber32,5006,000
1955 Gene Littler276−82 strokes Ted Kroll25,0005,000
1954 Fred Wampler281−31 stroke Jerry Barber
Chick Harbert
20,0004,000
1953 Lloyd Mangrum (3)280−45 strokes Jack Burke Jr.20,0002,750
1952 Tommy Bolt289+5Playoff Jack Burke Jr.
Dutch Harrison
17,5004,000
1951 Lloyd Mangrum (2)280−41 stroke Henry Ransom15,0002,600
1950 Sam Snead (2)280−4Playoff Ben Hogan15,0002,600
1949 Lloyd Mangrum284E3 strokes Dutch Harrison15,0002,600
1948 Ben Hogan (3)275−94 strokes Lloyd Mangrum10,0002,000
1947 Ben Hogan (2)280−43 strokes Toney Penna10,0002,000
1946 Byron Nelson284E5 strokes Ben Hogan13,3332,667
1945 Sam Snead283−11 stroke Jug McSpaden
Byron Nelson
13,3332,666
1944 Jug McSpaden278−63 strokes Johnny Bulla12,5004,300
1943: No tournament due to World War II
1942 Ben Hogan282−6Playoff Jimmy Thomson10,0003,500
1941 Johnny Bulla281−32 strokes Craig Wood10,0003,500
1940 Lawson Little282+21 stroke Clayton Heafner5,0001,500
1939 Jimmy Demaret274−107 strokes Jug McSpaden5,0001,650
1938 Jimmy Thomson273−114 strokes Johnny Revolta5,0002,100
1937 Harry Cooper (2)274−105 strokes Ralph Guldahl
Horton Smith
8,0002,500
1936 Jimmy Hines280E4 strokes Henry Picard
Jimmy Thomson
5,0001,500
1935 Vic Ghezzi285+5Playoff Johnny Revolta5,0001,075
1934 Macdonald Smith (4)280E8 strokes Wille Hunter
Bill Mehlhorn
5,0001,450
1933 Craig Wood282−24 strokes Leo Diegel
Willie Hunter
5,0001,525
1932 Macdonald Smith (3)281−34 strokes Leo Diegel
Olin Dutra
Joe Kirkwood Sr.
Dick Metz
7,5002,000
1931 Ed Dudley285+12 strokes Al Espinosa
Eddie Loos
10,0003,500
1930 Denny Shute296+124 strokes Bobby Cruickshank
Horton Smith
10,0003,500
1929 Macdonald Smith (2)285+16 strokes Tommy Armour10,0003,500
1928 Macdonald Smith284E3 strokes Harry Cooper10,0003,500
1927 Bobby Cruickshank282−66 strokes Ed Dudley
Charles Guest
10,0003,500
1926 Harry Cooper279−93 strokes George Von Elm10,0003,500

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:

Watch videos about Los Angeles OpenExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Los Angeles Open, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Images, from Wikimedia Commons:

Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.