Nissan Open Tees Off Today at Riviera

80th Edition of PGA Tour’s Los Angeles Event Attracts 35 of Top 50 Players

It all started at Los Angeles Country Club’s north course in 1926 when Harry Cooper shot five-under-par to beat George Von Elm by three strokes. Back then, long before the birth of corporate sponsorships and television contracts, it was known simply as the Los Angeles Open. In the 79 years since, the tournament has undergone several name changes. It has been played at 11 different venues. And yet it remains one of the oldest and most popular events on the PGA Tour. Excluding the United States Open, British Open and PGA Championship–three of the sport’s four majors–the tournament, now under its 12th year of sponsorship by Nissan, is the PGA’s fourth oldest event. Only the Western Open, which began in 1899, the Canadian Open (1904) and the Texas Open (1922) have been played longer. This year, 35 of the world’s top 50 players are in the field, including five of the top 10. Why is this West Coast tour stop so appealing? Here are five reasons: 1) Riviera Country Club. An opportunity to play this historic course, which hosts the event for the 44th time this week, might well be the biggest drawing card. The hallowed grounds off of Capri Drive have hosted the L.A. Open all but two times since 1973. The exceptions were 1983, when it was held at Rancho Municipal Golf Course, and 1998, when it was moved to Valencia Country Club in Santa Clarita while Riviera was being groomed for the U.S. Senior Open. 2) The weather. Unlike last year’s event, which was halted after only 36 holes because of continous rain, the forecast for this weekend is more like what Southern Californians are used to–even in mid-February–and that’s clear and sunny skies. The 2005 tournament, though, was not without drama. Adam Scott defeated Chad Campbell on the first playoff hole to take home the trophy and winner’s check, even if his victory was not “official.” It marked only the second time that the L.A. Open was shortened due to inclement weather. The first was in 1993, when Tom Kite won by three strokes in a 54-hole event. 3) The history. Few events are as steeped in tradition as the L.A. Open. Like the Riviera itself, the tournament is synonymous with the legends of the game and thus the tournament and the course which has helped make it famous are forever linked. The L.A. Open has been around even longer than The Masters and the list of legends who have played there is long and distinguished. The L.A. Open came to Riviera for the first time in 1929. Macdonald Smith, who had won the previous year at Wilshire Country Club, defended his title with a six-shot victory over Tommy Armour. Smith won four times in all but only once at Riviera. Ben Hogan won three L.A. Opens in the 1940s, including back-to-back titles at Riviera in 1947-48 (the course has been called “Hogan’s Alley” ever since). Lloyd Mangrum won the first three of his four L.A. Open titles there from 1949 to 1956, Tom Watson won twice at Riviera in the early 1980s and Corey Pavin won back-to-back in 1994-95. 4) The challenge. Renowned for its Kikuyu grass, impeccable greens and not a single water hazard, Riviera is one of the most challenging courses in the world. The famed 18th hole is among the most difficult in all of golf, with a length between 451 and 479 yards (depending upon where the tee-off marker is placed), a narrow fairway and a green carved out of a natural bowl with sand traps in front and on either side. Just how tough is the course to navigate? The numbers speak for themselves. Only one player has reached 20-under par in a sanctioned event at Riviera and that was Lanny Wadkins, who fired a 264 to win the L.A. Open in 1985. Even in ideal conditions, tougher pin placements make it hard for even the world’s top professionals to shoot par. 5) The purse. Sure, there are plenty of incendiary benefits to winning a professional golf tournament. Valuable points are at stake. Points that determine rankings–rankings that lead to endorsement deals. There is also the matter of pride. Of competition. Of wanting to be the best. But it doesn’t hurt that $5.1 million in prize money will be doled out on Sunday, including $918,000 to the winner. That’s no small sum for four days’ work. Among the most recognizable names in this year’s 144-player field will be world No. 1 Tiger Woods, No. 5 Ernie Els, No. 7 Jim Furyk, No. 8 Chris Dimarco and Scott, who is currently ranked 10th. Campbell is also returning. The list of past champions includes Scott, Els, Mike Weir, Len Mattiace, Robert Allenby, Kirk Triplett, Billy Mayfair, Corey Pavin, Fred Couples and Mark Calcavecchia. Woods has won 47 PGA Tour events but he has never won at Riviera. This will be his ninth attempt to conquer the course on which he played his first professional tournament in 1992 at the age of 16. Longtime pro Duffy Waldorf, easily recognized for his colorful shirts, was granted a sponsor’s exemption to this year’s event. Early Monday morning he was at the 14th hole along with fellow pro Paul Parajeckas to participate in the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce’s Urban Youth Golf Program, teaching 20 at-risk children the basics of chipping and driving. Tee times for the first two rounds were announced Wednesday. Stroke play begins today and, weather permitting, will continue through Sunday. The player with the lowest score through four rounds will be crowned champion. Par for the course is 71 for a four-day total of 284.