[PHOTO: Kevin Carter]
Torrey Pines will have double duty as a PGA Tour host this year.
The tour announced overnight, Australian time, that the San Diego venue – which is the backdrop for this week’s Farmers Insurance Open – will serve as the temporary home to next month’s Genesis Invitational after the Genesis was forced to move from Riviera Country Club due to the wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Though Riviera’s course and clubhouse were unaffected by the ongoing tragedy, most of the surrounding neighbourhood of the Pacific Palisades has been destroyed, with nearly 10,000 hectares touched by the fires. The optics of playing a golf tournament against the disaster was also a reason in moving the event.
Other venues were considered, including last week’s tournament site, PGA West, along with TPC Scottsdale, which will host the WM Phoenix Open prior to the Genesis. However, Scottsdale was ultimately ruled out due to complications with volunteers and the belief the course’s branding and advertisements could not be turned over quick enough from “WM” to “Genesis”. Tiger Woods’ foundation, which runs the Genesis, also wanted to keep the tournament in southern California.
“We are grateful to the City of San Diego and Torrey Pines for hosting the 2025 Genesis Invitational, and to everyone who has reached out in support of the tournament,” Woods said in a statement. “While Riviera remains the home of the Genesis Invitational, we look forward to playing on another championship calibre golf course this year and using the tournament to support those affected by the fires in the Los Angeles area.”
Woods has a storied history with Torrey Pines. He won seven times at the tour’s annual San Diego stop, and captured the 2008 US Open despite playing on a broken leg.
Unlike this week’s Farmers Insurance Open, which is played on Torrey’s North and South courses, only the South will be used for the Genesis.
The Genesis will return to Riviera in 2026. The club is also set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics and 2031 US Open.
