Out of respect for the Los Angeles wildfires, the tour, host Tiger Woods and his foundation opted to move the signature event south to Torrey Pines, where Harris English just won the Farmers Insurance Open three weeks ago. Woods was scheduled to play but withdrew, saying he wasn’t ready to play and that he was still in the process of mourning his mother, Kultida, who died last week at age 80.

In the end it was Ludvig Aberg who stole the show when he birdied four of the last six holes Sunday to shoot 66 and top Maverick McNealy by one shot. It was Aberg’s second PGA Tour victory. The 25-year-old Swede shot 12-under-par total for the week and took home $4 million from the overall $20 million purse in the signature event. McNealy, who shot a final-round 64, earned $2.2 million. Scottie Scheffler was in third place, despite shooting a third-round 76.

“I’m proud of the way I finished,” Aberg said. “It was really cool.”

That compeltes the West Coast swing for the PGA Tour. The Mexico Open is next week before heading to Florida for four consecutive weeks.

Here’s the breakdown of what each player earned this week in San Diego.

WIN: Ludvig Aberg, -12/276, $4 million

2: Maverick McNealy, -11/277, $2.2 million

T-3: Scottie Scheffler, -9/279, $1.2 million

T-3: Patrick Rodgers, -9/279, $1.2 million

T-5: Patrick Cantlay, -8/280, $736,500

T-5: Tommy Fleetwood, -8/280, $736,500

T-5: Tony Finau, -8/280, $736,500

T-5: Denny McCarthy, -8/280, $736,500

T-9: Akshay Bhatia, -6/282, $556,666.67

T-9: Nick Taylor, -6/282, $556,666.67

T-9: Justin Thomas, -6/282, $556,666.67

12: Daniel Berger, -5/283, $472,000

T-13: Andrew Novak, -4/284, $384,250

T-13: Michael Kim, -4/284, $384,250

T-13: Hideki Matsuyama, -4/284, $384,250

T-13: Davis Thompson, -4/284, $384,250

T-17: Collin Morikawa, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-17: Kevin Yu, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-17: Brian Harman, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-17: Sahith Theegala, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-17: Jake Knapp, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-17: Nick Dunlap, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-17: Rory McIlroy, -3/285, $270,714.29

T-24: Corey Conners, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-24: Max Greyserman, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-24: Will Zalatoris, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-24: Sam Burns, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-24: Seamus Power, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-24: Si Woo Kim, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-24: Harris English, -2/286, $164,857.14

T-31: Lucas Glover, -1/287, $126,000

T-31: Wyndham Clark, -1/287, $126,000

T-31: Sam Stevens, -1/287, $126,000

T-34: J.J. Spaun, E/288, $109,000

T-34: Keegan Bradley, E/288, $109,000

T-34: Nico Echavarria, E/288, $109,000

T-37: Adam Scott, +1/289, $96,500

T-37: Aaron Rai, +1/289, $96,500

T-39: Shane Lowry, +2/290, $82,000

T-39: Russell Henley, +2/290, $82,000

T-39: J.T. Poston, +2/290, $82,000

T-39: Rickie Fowler, +2/290, $82,000

T-39: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, +2/290, $82,000

T-44: Matthieu Pavon, +3/291, $64,000

T-44: Ben Griffin, +3/291, $64,000

T-44: Stephan Jaeger, +3/291, $64,000

T-44: Tom Kim, +3/291, $64,000

48: Min Woo Lee, +4/292, $56,000

49: Matt Fitzpatrick, +5/293, $54,000

T-50: Taylor Pendrith, +6/294, $51,500

T-50: Jason Day, +6/294, $51,500

52: Mackenzie Hughes, +8/296, $50,000

53: Thomas Detry, +9/297, $49,000

54: Tom Hoge, +12/300, $48,000

Main Image: Ben Jared

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Tiger Woods said he believes the professional game will “heal very quickly” if and when the PGA Tour can come to an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as negotiations between the two entities continue.

Visiting CBS’s 18th-hole tower at Torrey Pines on Sunday during the Genesis Invitational that he hosts, Woods was asked questions by anchor Jim Nantz about a number of topics, including the impact of his late mother, the status of the tour-PIF negotiations and when we might see Woods compete again.

After the Genesis had to be moved away from Riviera Country Club to Torrey Pines South because of the wildfires in Los Angeles, Woods entered the event, only to withdraw last Monday, saying he needed further time to process the death of Kultida Woods. Tiger made his first appearance at Torrey Pines on Sunday, walking around at the driving range to exchange hugs and chat with numerous players.

Tony Finau and Tiger Woods embrace on the Sunday of the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines – Michael Owens

Nearly two weeks ago, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Players Advisory Council chairman Adam Scott went to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump and encourage him to support them in trying to get a deal done with PIF. One of the biggest concerns about securing what’s been called a “reunification” is getting the approval of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Trump has indicated he could be of assistance in that area.

This week at Torrey Pines, Monahan and Scott each portrayed the meeting with Trump as a positive step. Woods said on Sunday he was not part of the meeting because of a previous scheduling commitment but is pleased with what transpired.

“Jay and Adam did great during the meeting. And we have another subsequent meeting coming up,” Woods said. “So I think that things are going to heal quickly. We’re going to get this game going in the right direction. We’ve been heading in the wrong direction for a number of years. The fans want all of us, all the top players playing together. And we’re going to make it happen.”

In the booth, Woods, 49, spoke with admiration for his mother, who was honoured on Sunday with pins worn by the players.

“It’s been a rough process to go through,” Woods said before noting the support he’s received from his fellow players. “The amount of texts and emails and voice messages of support I got, its really meant a lot to me,” he said.

“My mom was my rock,” Woods said. “When my dad worked at McDonnell Douglas at the time, mom would take me to every junior event here in Southern California, whether it was a nine-hole event in Riverside or San Bernardino. She would be out there walking and keeping score on every hole. All those days led to the point where I am.

“Losing her,” he added, “has been very hard.”

Predictably, Woods gave no indication of when he might return to competition. The tour moves on to Mexico next week and then Florida. The next signature event is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, March 6-9, followed the next week by the Players Championship.

Woods figured to fly home to Florida on Sunday because he’s set to make his next playing appearance on Monday night in TGL, his simulator league.

Main Image: Ben Jared

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Over the past four years, McIlroy has been golf’s most prominent voice, speaking with candor about both his own game and the sport’s tumultuous evolution. At every tournament, microphones turned his way not just because reporters asked, but because he was willing to answer when others remained silent. In the vacuum of decisive leadership during the golf’s existential crisis, McIlroy stepped forward as an unlikely statesman. His commitment never wavered, even after the shocking June 6 framework agreement betrayed the very values he had defended. By shouldering this burden of leadership, he risked not just his public persona but his performance on the course, a pressure that revealed character as he navigated the challenges of both.

Rory McIlroy and Donald Trump Jr. walk together during the Genesis Invitational Pro-Am round at Torrey Pines. Orlando Ramirez

In recent months, however, whispers have circulated through tour corridors: Rory has reached his breaking point. His Wednesday conversation wasn’t just candid; it was a quiet manifesto of exhaustion, a subtle but unmistakable signal that golf’s most tireless defender had finally laid down his shield. “No, I don’t know,” McIlroy said on Wednesday morning after playing his nine holes in the Genesis Invitational Pro-Am, in regard to a question about what the tour has done with its $1.5 billion equity investment. “I’m not part of it anymore.”

READ MORE: Rory McIlroy drops by eGolf Megastore in Dubai, claims its better than a Tour truck!

McIlroy maintains an official connection to the PGA Tour’s Saudi negotiations through his role on the three-player “transaction subcommittee”—a position that feels like a consolation prize after several players blocked his attempted return to the policy board last spring. But the reality runs deeper. McIlroy’s team has made it clear, to anyone willing to listen behind the scenes, that he’s emotionally divested from the process, no longer willing to pledge loyalty to an institution that failed to match his commitment. Now, when Rory speaks, his words carry a different meaning. Gone are the calibrated statements meant to serve a purpose or position. In their place are the unfiltered thoughts of a man who has chosen to prioritize his own truth and his family’s wellbeing over the burden of being golf’s moral compass.

His Wednesday comments created stark contrasts with his past positions, a shift that would have been unthinkable even months ago. The contradictions hung in the air, laid bare without apology:

On why a deal hasn’t been done, which in the past McIlroy has preached for patience given all the moving parts: “From my viewpoint, no, I don’t think it’s complicated at all.”

On bringing LIV players back after he previously asserted they should serve some sort of punishment: “There are guys that were on the PGA Tour that went to play on LIV, and if they still have status, sure, come back, come back and play. Like for us, they’ve all got equity in this tour. Having Bryson DeChambeau come back and play on this tour is good.”

RELATED: Rory McIlroy says President Trump not a fan of LIV Golf and can be instrumental in PIF-PGA Tour negotiations

On President Trump, who McIlroy had asserted he regretted playing with in a 2020 interview and that he wouldn’t play with him again: “Yeah, I played golf with [Trump] a few weeks ago. … It was great. Yeah, it was really good, it was really good. I thought we had a good discussion. I learnt that he’s not a fan of the LIV format. I was like, but you’ve hosted their events. He was like, yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I like it. So I think he’s on the tour’s side.” (McIlroy played with Trump’s granddaughter during Wednesday’s pro-am and was seen talking with Donald Trump, Jr. during their round.)

On his changing stance against PIF, which he originally criticized because of what they stood for and what they were doing for the game: “Because I look at what I made in 2019 before LIV came around and I look at what I’ve made after LIV came around and it’s very different. Like, I don’t know what to say, I earn more money now than I did in 2019 and if LIV hadn’t have come around, I don’t know if I would have been able to say that.”

Critics who deride McIlroy for his shifting positions reveal their own shallow understanding of growth. In a sports world calcified by pride, the willingness to evolve his thinking stands, at times, as commendable. Each position he takes—whether it aligns with past statements or contradicts them—represents an honest reckoning with truth as he sees it in that moment.

Yet the whiplash between his responses to recurring questions does demand acknowledgment. This crackled to life on Wednesday when a reporter, voicing what many had privately wondered, confronted McIlroy about his reversal on PIF.

READ MORE: New LIV CEO talks global schedule, Greg Norman and league’s future

“I didn’t feel that way initially because of the fracture … it wasn’t good for the game, it wasn’t good for the overall game,” McIlroy explained. “It wasn’t good for either tour, I didn’t think. I think we’re both sort of like this has been great for the major championships. We all get together at the major championships and that’s been a really good thing, but for both tours it’s unsustainable. … I was opposed to a lot of it. I was opposed to 54 holes, I was opposed to the team concept in some way, but when you sort of remove yourself from it a little bit and you look at the overall picture, like we’ve all done better because of this.

“The players on the PGA Tour had more leverage than they ever had to go to the tour to say we want this, we want that or whatever. But at the same time I regret some of those decisions too because it put the tour in a place where they were stretched financially and they sort of had to look at taking money from elsewhere to try to compete.

“But like it’s all easy in hindsight to say these things, but I think we are closer to getting a resolution and hopefully we can all just move forward.”

Though his words addressed the deal, they revealed something more personal. No player has paid a steeper price in golf’s civil war than McIlroy–the reluctant soldier who sacrificed pieces of himself for what he thought was right. The weight of diplomacy, of words and actions, has left scars. Now he yearns to shed that mantle and reclaim what made him extraordinary: the unique talent who can make the impossible look effortless, who can set galleries alight with a single swing. The past few years have done a number on him, grinding down the pure joy of the game beneath the millstone of politics and responsibility. In this moment of surrender, Rory McIlroy isn’t seeking redemption or validation. He is simply reclaiming himself.

Main image: Megan Briggs/TGL

READ MORE: Commissioner Jay Monahan says one tour with LIV and PGA Tour players is goal

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This week’s PGA Tour event had to move from Riviera Country Club to Torrey Pines due to the damage suffered in Riviera’s surrounding neighbourhood of the Pacific Palisades. On Tuesday the event sponsor announced in conjunction with the tour that 100 cars along with cash contributions will be funneled to the California Rises initiative.

California Rises will aid in the rebuilding efforts as a result of the wildfires that devastated the region in January. Some of the charities involved include the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, California Fire Foundation and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation.

Additionally, the tournament week will service as a fundraising effort and platform to highlight the response of the Los Angeles community. During tournament play, every shot will have extra incentive through “Birdies for Good” with $300 donated for every birdie and eagle and $10,000 for a hole-in-one. Throughout Torrey Pines there will be links to the donation site and fans can send a thank you note to first responders at Postcards from the Tee.

“The Genesis Invitational has called Los Angeles home for nearly a century and has a long-standing history of positively impacting the community,” said Mike Antolini, tournament director of The Genesis Invitational. “Although we are not at Riviera this year, we are proud to be part of California Rises in support of the relief efforts.”

Added PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan: “The game of golf has always played a role in bringing people together for a common cause, and the PGA Tour is proud to support the efforts of the California Rises initiative at The Genesis Invitational. We commend Genesis, Tiger Woods and TGR Live for their leadership and we are grateful to Farmers Insurance, Mayor Todd Gloria and the City of San Diego and the Century Club for their collective efforts as we relocated The Genesis Invitational to Torrey Pines.”

Main Image: Josh Edelson

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Woods’ decision comes just days after saying he intended to not just host the PGA Tour’s signature event that his foundation runs but also to make it his first PGA Tour start since last July. It also comes, however, less than a week after Tiger’s announcement of the death of his mother, Kultida Woods.

I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my Mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.

Thanks to everyone who has reached out. I hope to be at Torrey later in the week and appreciate the continued… pic.twitter.com/HP45Tla3QQ

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) February 10, 2025

In the statement, Woods noted that he is still processing the loss of his mom. After the death of his father, Earl Woods, in May 2006, Tiger did not play for a month before entering the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, where he missed the cut for the first time as a professional in a major championship. A month later, he won the Open Championship title at Royal Liverpool in what he has described as the most emotional victory of his career.

Woods is expected to attend the Genesis, which is being held this year at Torrey Pines G.C. in San Diego, moving from its regular home of Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, in the wake of the fires that have impacted much of Los Angeles County.

Many were excited for Woods’ return to see where his game is following yet another surgery to his back. In September, Woods had a microdecompression procedure on the lumbar spine to address nerve impingement. Woods said at the time it was necessitated by back spasms and pain he experienced during the 2024 season, one in which he made just five starts, missing the cut in three appearances and withdrawing midway through the second round at his Genesis Invitational.

Rehab following the September surgery caused him to miss his Hero World Challenge in December, although Tiger did compete two weeks later that the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie. Woods also has made two starts for Jupiter Links G.C., in the new golf simulator league, TGL, that he helped launch along with Rory McIlroy.

Mind you, this week’s forecast for Torrey Pines calls for rain on Thursday and Friday, making what is already a difficult walk for players even more challenging. No doubt it’s something Woods., who turned 49 in December, won’t mind missing out on.

Uncertain now is whether Woods will attempt to enter any other PGA Tour events—notably the Arnold Palmer Invitational or the Players Championship—to get some competitive reps in before presumably playing in the Masters in April.

Main Image: Kevin C. Cox

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Tiger Woods and President Donald Trump are playing golf together Sunday morning in South Florida, according to multiple White House reports.

There is no word on exactly which course they’re playing but it’s said to be in West Palm Beach. They have played golf together several times in the past.

Trump is expected to attend the Super Bowl later Sunday in New Orleans. Woods announced late last week that he will be playing next week in the Genesis Invitational, which he hosts. It moved from Riviera to Torrey Pines because of the Los Angeles fires. He hasn’t played in an event since the Open Championship last summer at Royal Troon, where he missed the cut.

Just last week Woods announced that his mother, Kultida Woods, died suddenly.

Also last week, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan admitted that he asked Trump to be part of negotiations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

“We know golf fans are eagerly anticipating a resolution to negotiations with the Public Investment Fund and want to thank President Trump for his interest and long-time support of the game of golf,” the tour said in a statement. “We asked the President to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved. We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”

Woods has played twice this year in his TGL matches at SoFi Center on the campus of Palm Beach State College. His Jupiter Links team struggled in its first match January 14 against Los Angeles. They topped Rory McIlroy’s Boston squad in overtime on January 27.

Main image: Getty Images

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Tournament host Tiger Woods is committed to play in the 2025 Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines pic.twitter.com/iuBRAGtFEu

— The Genesis Invitational (@thegenesisinv) February 7, 2025

While Woods has made recent appearances in his TGL indoor simulator league and December’s parent-child PNC Championship, his competitive schedule has been severely limited by ongoing health issues. The 15-time major champion missed his own Hero World Challenge in December while recovering from his sixth documented back surgery—his first such procedure since 2021. This latest operation followed a challenging 2023 season where Woods was largely sidelined after undergoing a subtalar fusion to address post-traumatic arthritis in his right foot, stemming from injuries sustained in his 2021 car accident.

Recent history suggests a difficult road ahead. Since his historic 2019 Masters victory, Woods has struggled to recapture his form, failing to crack the top 20 in any major championship. His 2024 campaign was particularly trying, with three missed cuts and a withdrawal in five starts. Tournament completions have become increasingly rare—Woods has played all four rounds of an official event just three times in the past four seasons, limiting his appearances primarily to majors, the Genesis Invitational, and unofficial events.

However, Torrey Pines holds special significance for Woods. He has claimed seven PGA Tour victories in regular events at the San Diego venue and also perhaps his most legendary major triumph — the 2008 U.S. Open, which he won while competing with fractures in his leg. This year’s Genesis, temporarily relocated from Riviera Country Club due to Los Angeles County wildfires, will utilize only Torrey’s challenging South Course, with was set up at near-major conditions for the recent Farmers Insurance Open, which incorporated both North and South layouts.

Earlier this week Woods announced his mother Kultida had passed at age 80. While his competitive future remains uncertain, Woods’ participation has been secured through a PGA Tour Policy Board exemption granting him entry into all signature events.

Looking ahead, Riviera Country Club is scheduled to resume hosting the Genesis Invitational in 2026, part of an impressive lineup of upcoming events including the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open, 2028 Summer Olympics golf competition, and 2031 U.S. Open. Along with playing, Woods will serve as host of the Genesis, which benefits his TGR Foundation.

Main Image: Stuart Franklin/R&A

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There are at least 60 people from the City of San Diego’s staff who work on staging the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open at the municipal Torrey Pines golf courses. They toil long hours for months in advance and then all but collapse onto their couches when the final putt drops.

This year, they’re going to have to keep their energy up and motors running after the PGA Tour announced on Friday that the Genesis Invitational, normally staged at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, will be played the week of Feb. 10 on the Torrey Pines South Course, three weeks after the Farmers Insurance Open that is currently being contested at Torrey Pines. The move was necessitated by the devastating wildfires experienced in Los Angeles County over the last two weeks.

“Really, we’re going to be cramming six months of work into about a week and a half,” John Howard, the city’s golf manager, told Golf Digest on Friday. “We’re in unprecedented territory.”

Indeed, no venue in modern PGA Tour history has hosted its regularly scheduled PGA Tour event and then, three weeks later, held another one­—let alone the second being a $20 million signature tournament hosted by Tiger Woods and his foundation. The closest to this is the private Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, hosting back-to-back tour events, the quickly created Workday Charity Open (which replaced the cancelled John Deere Classic) and the Memorial Tournament, during the pandemic in 2020. The big difference there: the tournaments were played in a COVID-19 bubble with no fans.

At Torrey Pines, two different host organizations, the Century Club of San Diego and the Tiger Woods Foundation—with their separate staffs, operations teams, volunteer armies and even agronomy contributors from around the country—will work to stage two world-class golf events in short order. “Herculean,” Marty Gorsich, Farmers Insurance Open executive director, said of the task.

Ultimately, it became clear that, despite the obstacles, Woods, his foundation and Genesis wanted to keep the tournament in Southern California, if possible, so as to hold the connection to the thousands of people affected by the fires. Woods’ legacy, of course, is tightly bound to Torrey Pines, where he’s won seven PGA Tour events and the 2008 U.S. Open.

As for the possible building excitement of Woods returning to compete at Torrey Pines, which he hasn’t done since 2020, that is still unknown. One PGA Tour source said Woods may not have planned to play in the Genesis, even it was played as scheduled at Riviera. Woods has opened his last two seasons in the Genesis, but he still is recovering from back surgery he had last September. Woods passed on playing in the Hero World Challenge that he hosts each year in December, and other than walking with son Charlie while they competed over 36 holes in the PNC Championship in December, Woods hasn’t walked a course in competition since the Open Championship last July. Torrey Pines is playing at its most stout at the moment and is a tough walk.

Of course, because government rarely is light on its feet, there were potential complications in moving the Genesis to Torrey Pines because it’s the City of San Diego that runs the facility through its golf division. But Howard said it was only a few hours from the time the Century Club and city were contacted by the tour only a week ago, on Jan. 17, that all of the stakeholders, including San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, were on board. Other entities that had to agree were Torrey Pines Club Corp, which runs the pro shop; the University of California-San Diego, owners of the nearby property that accommodates tournament parking and the television compound; the Lodge at Torrey Pines, where the locker room and scoring room are located; and the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, site of the media center. Both hotels on-site house many players and officials during the week.

Gorsich said on Friday that the PGA Tour is extremely impressed with how it all came together on San Diego’s end. “To a group, everyone emphatically said yes, and if one of them had said no, this would have been a house of cards that we couldn’t have put together,” he said.

The third of Torrey Pines South during the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open – Orlando Ramirez

The Genesis Invitational, with a limited field of around 70 players, will be played Feb. 13-16. Howard said Genesis has reserved the Torrey Pines facility starting on Tuesday, Feb. 4, with both the South and North courses closed to the public through Monday, Feb. 17. One of the more interesting challenges, Howard said, is that both courses will be open for public play from next Tuesday, Jan. 28, to Feb. 3.

There will be a lucky few who will play at Torrey during this unprecedented time, but there are many more who are going to miss out on their chance for what is to some a bucket-list experience. Among the biggest issues Torrey Pines faced in the circumstance is the fact that only Bethpage Black in New York rivals it as the busiest golf facility in America, with both courses usually fully booked every day from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the winter. There is a 90-day reservation system that accounts for many of those tee times, with out-of-town golfers paying $50 per person to make a tee time (with green fees running up to $306 on weekend to walk the South). Howard said there are at least 1,000 transactions that have to be refunded by the city due to the Genesis, in addition to three 100-plus player shotgun tournaments that have to be postponed or cancelled.

“I can understand that people are going to be disappointed by not being able to play at Torrey Pines those two weeks,” Howard said. “But when he had the potential to host this in San Diego … there’s only so much we can do for the fire victims down here. And I think being able to assist in some sense with creating some sense of normalcy to put this on is a great thing for the everyone.”

The city’s listed rate to buy out the South Course for a single day is $108,817, and for the 15 days it will be closed for the Genesis, that could translate into $1.6 million in costs for the PGA Tour and Genesis. But San Diego, as it does for the Farmers Open, is renting the course at a heavy discount, in part because it counts the hours of television as essentially free advertising for Torrey Pines and the region. Howard said the city has calculated the loss of per-hour revenue for tee times at $800,000 and is charging half that rate, or $400,000. Adding in additional charges for staff overtime of $137,000, and the approximate total cost to the tour event is $537,000, Howard said.

Moving a tournament between venues that are 126 miles apart on Interstate 5 is an enormous challenge. As Gorsich pointed out, the tournaments are different in their operations, vending, volunteers and ticketing. Even the colour schemes of their signage—Farmers is blue, Genesis is black—is different and has to be altered. The suites and skyboxes currently being used by the Farmers will remain, but even the tables and chairs in those areas have to be moved or covered because the salt air will damage them.

As of Friday, Gorsich was doing anything he could to support the Genesis Invitational while also overseeing his own tour event with 75 golfers playing into Saturday’s final round, toward an overall purse of $9 million and a winner’s check of $1.67 million.

His apt analogy was like he was throwing his own party at a rental house, owned in this case by the city, and then turning over the keys to the next group.

“They’re used to us throwing a party every year,” Gorsich said. “We throw the party, clean up and treat the neighbours well. And then there’s a new group that wants to throw a party and we’re asking the homeowners to help be the party planners. They welcome the party but are asking us to leave it nice when you’re gone and please help them along the way.”

As sports fans understand, Los Angeles and San Diego are heated sports rivals, particularly among Dodgers and Padres fans. (The teams eliminated the other from the MLS playoffs in two of the last three years.) But the cities are physically and emotionally bonded, including their experiences with natural disasters. Under different circumstances, the Farmers Open might be seeking refuge at Riviera.

“We all call ourselves Southern Californians,” Gorsich said. “We all have had our own fires and own tragedies, and know the roles could have been reversed. It’s important to be selfless here, and ask how I can help you? Among our own Century Club members, it hasn’t been ‘what’s in for me; it’s what can we do?”

Main Image: Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire

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The PGA Tour announced it is moving next month’s Genesis Invitational from Riviera Country Club amid the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County.

The move, which has been expected for several days, was finalized Thursday, although the tour nor tournament officials publicly announced a new tournament site.

“In collaboration with Genesis, The Riviera Country Club and TGR Live, and out of respect for the unfolding situation, we have determined that the Genesis Invitational 2025 will be played at an alternate location the week of Feb. 10-16,” read a statement. “A venue update and additional tournament information will be provided in the coming days.”

Though the course and clubhouse at Riviera have not been damaged most of the surrounding area has suffered significant losses. In the Pacific Palisades alone more than 23,000 acres have been hit, and less than a quarter of the fires have been contained. On Monday night, tournament host Tiger Woods had expressed doubt the tournament could or should remain at Riviera.

“We’re trying to just figure everything out and make sure that everyone is safe and we have meetings scheduled going forward,” Woods said, adding he knew “a couple people that have lost everything” in the fire. “We’re not really focused on the tournament. It’s more about what we can do to help everyone who’s struggling, who’s lost homes and had their lives changed.”

Should the PGA Tour want to stay in Southern California, there are several viable options—including this week’s American Express host, PGA West. The WM Phoenix Open is happening the week before the Genesis.

Main Image: DAVID SWANSON

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During a week when no one hit the ball better or chipped better, Scheffler made just three putts outside of 10 feet. His week was best encapsulated by the 18th hole on Sunday, where he hit a towering iron shot to 10 feet on one of the toughest holes on the course, only to badly misjudge the speed on the putt, never giving it a chance.

That miss prompted CBS Sports’ Amanda Renner to ask Rory McIlroy—who was joining the telecast after finishing his round—what advice he would have for Scheffler as he works through his putting struggles.

“I’ve certainly been through my fair share of putting woes over the years, and I finally feel like I’ve broken through and become a pretty consistent putter,” McIlroy said. He was in a similar position to Scheffler back in the mid-2010s, hitting the ball beautifully but ranking outside the top 100 on tour in putting.

“For me, going to a mallet was a big change,” McIlroy said said after a final-round 70 at Riviera. “I really persisted with the blade putter for a long time, but I just feel like your stroke has to be so perfect to start the ball on line, where the mallet just gives you a little bit more margin for error.

“So, I’d love to see Scottie try a mallet,” McIlroy concluded. “But selfishly for me, Scottie does everything else so well that he’s given the rest of us a chance.”

Over the past couple of years, Scheffler has experimented with a few mallet putters, but has consistently gone back to a more traditional blade style. Over the last few months, Scheffler has been using a putter from Olson Putter Co. that is based off a classic Anser 2 model. (He has also started working with renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon to improve the mechanics of his stroke.)

@McIlroyRory is in the booth @TheGenesisInv! pic.twitter.com/i9eEQcKoEL

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 18, 2024

Yet based on McIlroy’s putting success upon switching to a mallet, he sees that as Scheffler’s next logical move. To understand why a mallet putting might be preferred, and when amateur golfers should try switching, we asked Best in State teacher and putting coach Bill Smittle.

“A high MOI (moment of inertia) is usually better if you have speed control issues or off-center hits, which tend to go hand in hand,” Smittle says, explaining that mallet putters typically have a higher MOI. “If you have a harder time finding the center of the putter, then a mallet generally will allow your distance control to be more consistent.”

When you miss the center of the face with a blade putter, Smittle says, the face will twist more, and there is a greater loss of energy. Both of those cause distance control issues. Smittle says that if you’re consistently hitting the center of the face with a blade putter but are struggling with controlling your start line, then a mallet is unlikely to help because “typically mallets are harder to square up. But if you already square the face up pretty consistently, but your impact is off, then mallets tend to be a better solution.”

In addition to better speed control on off-center hits, Smittle says improved alignment is another benefit of mallet putters. “Sometimes a mallet has a longer line on it and because of that, sometimes it’s easier to aim. When it’s easier to aim, you get the ball started more on line,” Smittle says.

Smittle encourages golfers to test their performance with both blade and mallet putters to see if they are right for them, but generally, players who struggle with distance control or alignment are good candidates for mallet putters.

Whether Scheffler takes McIlroy’s advice and reconsiders a mallet remains to be seen, but after failing to capitalize on another week of stellar ball-striking the World No. 1 still has plenty of work to do on the greens.

Image: Jared C Tilton

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