Tiger Woods has ‘love-hate’ relationship with Riviera

Tiger Woods looks to add the only thing missing in his career, a win at the tournament run by his foundation at the course he grew up playing.

Tiger Woods has many fond memories of Riviera Country Club. Unfortunately, none of them have come in a tournament.

Woods returns to Riviera, site of this week’s Genesis Open, trying to win for the first time at the Los Angeles course he grew up playing with his father.

The tournament and the course have special meaning for him: it was here that he made his first PGA Tour start, as a 16-year-old amateur in 1992. But he’s played the Genesis Open 12 times in his career without winning, the most of any tournament in his career.

He was twice runner-up, losing in a playoff to Billy Mayfair in 1998 and finishing behind Ernie Els in 1999.

Ending that drought this year will be fitting. After all, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Charlie Sifford’s landmark win at the former Los Angeles Open.

For the past 10 years the tournament has awarded the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption to an African-American golfer; last year’s recipient, Cameron Champ, went on to become a PGA Tour champion himself later that season.

The game’s most prominent African-American player has allied himself with that history by having his charity, the Tiger Woods Foundation, sponsor the event. But despite everything the tournament has meant to him, Woods admits his lack of a trophy here is frustrating.

"“It is certainly a love-hate relationship,” he said on Wednesday. “I love playing this golf course. I always have, and enjoyed playing up here when I was young with my dad.“For some season I’ve only played well here one time in the tournament [his loss to Mayfair came at nearby Valencia Country Club]. It’s just one of those courses that…you have to hit the golf ball well. There’s no faking it around this golf course.”"

The reasons for Woods’ troubles at Riviera are plenty. The greens are slippery and tough to hit; Woods has hit the green in regulation just 57 percent of the time at Riviera. The rough can be brutal.

Woods isn’t the only great player to struggle at Riviera. Jack Nicklaus never won this event, either. But the event has seen its share of great champions. Bubba Watson has won three of the past five years. Dustin Johnson won in 2017 and finished second twice.

And Phil Mickelson had back-to-back victories in 2008-09.

Despite the difficulties of the course, Woods shares the belief among players that Riviera is one of the better venues on tour.

"“We wish we could play more venues that are classic and simple like this. There’s no secret to this golf course. It’s right in front of you. But it’s hard,” he said. “That’s what makes it a classic golf course, and that’s why there’s been so many great champions here.”"

Woods couldn’t be teeing off on Thursday with any more confidence in the state of his game. A year ago he missed the cut here in what was only his second PGA Tour start after coming back from back surgery, just hoping to be able to make it back on tour.

After winning his first title in five years at the season-ending Tour Championship in September, Woods has a much different mindset now.

"“Last year at this time I had competed in just one tour event…I was just trying to figure out if I could make it to Florida,” he said. “I’m in a very different position now having played an entire season. I know what my body can and can’t do.“So I’m looking forward to this week. Hopefully, I can finally play this golf course well.”"

Woods’ association with Riviera, and the prestige surrounding the tournament because of it, will make the tournament look different in 2020. Next year the event will become an invitational, with the field reduced to 120 players and the prize pool increased.

Woods’ tournament will be put on the level of those founded by Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Nicklaus never won at Riviera; Palmer won three times.

Woods hopes to be more like the latter on Sunday.