Raging wildfires in Los Angeles have thrown the upcoming Genesis Invitational golf tournament into doubt, as more than 180,000 residents flee their homes in one of the area’s worst fire emergencies.
The PGA Tour is keeping a close eye on the situation at Riviera Country Club, where Tiger Woods is set to host the prestigious event next month.
Name
Events
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Money
Tiger Woods
378
199
$120,999,166
"It’s too early to tell what might happen with the tournament," Tour officials told players on Thursday. While the historic course hasn’t been directly hit by flames yet, safety comes first.
The Palisades fire, the biggest of several blazes tearing through LA County, has already burned through nearly 27 square miles. Fierce Santa Ana winds and bone-dry conditions aren’t helping.
The fires are wreaking havoc on LA’s sports schedule.
The NHL had to scratch Wednesday’s Kings-Flames matchup. The Lakers-Hornets game got pushed back too.
Even the NFL’s playoff schedule took a hit. The Rams won’t be playing their wild-card game against the Vikings at SoFi Stadium – they’re heading to Arizona instead.
The Genesis, scheduled for February 13-16, isn’t just another tournament. It’s one of the Tour’s signature events and raises money for Woods’ foundation.
"We’re really concerned about everyone in Southern California right now, including our players who call the area home," the Tour’s memo said.
Tour officials promised to keep players updated as they figure out whether to move the tournament or find new dates.
Meanwhile, firefighters continue battling the blazes that are threatening one of America’s largest cities, with no clear end in sight.
