Woods: “It’s A Difficult Situation, And We Want To Be Very Sensitive To That”.

9 months ago by Comments Off on Woods: “It’s A Difficult Situation, And We Want To Be Very Sensitive To That”.

Tournament host Tiger Woods has explained the importance of not moving next month’s Genesis Invitational outside of southern California.

The deadly L A wildfires forced organisers of the February 13th to 16th tournament into to finding an alternative host venue for the staging of the $20m ‘Signature’ event, given the closeness to the host Riviera course in Pacific Palasides.

The fires began earlier this month with the Palisades Fire, the largest of the blazes that destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 12 people, and even in writing this article some three weeks the fire was still only 94% contained. The Eaton Fire, which broke out near Altadena and has killed at least 17 people, was 98% contained.

The gut-wrenching sight of rows and rows of burnt out houses had many golfers quickly questioning the PGA Tour to act in announcing a move away from the Riviera Counry Club and where the tournament had been held near continuously each year since 1973.

There was suggestions of moving the event to Phoenix and a week following the WM Phoenix Open but then Torrey Pines came into the picture and with the Tour confirming last week the 2025 Genesis Invitational would be heading to the South Course at Torrey Pines located just to the north of San Diego.

Woods, who has won nine times in his career at Torrey Pines (Seven Farmers Insurance Open titles, the 2008 US Open and the 1991 Junior World Amateur title), indicated the detail of the reasoning to move the event to the clifftops course.

“The meeting we had was very difficult with the Watanabes”, he said.

“Riviera is just not ready. We want to stay within — on the West Coast, and it narrowed those options down to possibly up near Pebble or to Phoenix or to Vegas or to San Diego or to Palm Springs. There were so many different options out on the table, and we were trying to be understanding to all the victims that these fires have caused, has brought to them.

“The fact that we were able to, with the city of San Diego, were able to stay within Southern California, with respect to the difficulties in LA, I think it’s important that we were able to stay in Southern California because everyone who was born and raised out in Southern Cal can all relate to the fires. It’s a difficult situation, and we want to be very sensitive to that.

“I think because we’re in Southern California, I think we’re able to — I think we’re going to be able to raise more money for all the losses that have incurred”.

The question now remaining and that is will TW tee-up in the tournament?



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