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It’s a big week for Tiger Woods and in a quirky location. He made his PGA Tour debut at Riviera Country Club, he also struggled to perform there throughout his career, and then, two years ago, shortly after finishing his non-playing host duties, he crashed his car, nearly dying and ending up with chronic leg and ankle injuries. Now he’s back – and he’s playing for the first time since the Open last July. The course is in Pacific Pallisades, Los Angeles and sits in a ravine overlooked by houses owned by the great and good of La La Land. It’s not exactly like Pebble Beach and Torrey Pines – it doesn’t overlook the ocean – but like Silverado (in the north of California) it shares much in common with those two other venues. What that mostly means is traditional designs, breezy weather and Poa Annua on the greens. Its also shares with Torrey Pines and Pebble Beach major championship quality having hosted the 1983 and 1995 PGA Championships. A big factor this week is not just the grass on the greens but the grass in the rough – it is kikuyu which is clingy. Tiger Woods said ruefully of it: “It puts such a premium on putting the golf ball in play and hitting the ball high. You’ve got to hit the ball high into any of these greens and really control your spin and put the ball in the right spots because getting up and down here, as we’ve all seen, from kikuyu grass is not easy to do.” It’s often said that Riviera and Augusta National have much in common, although it is also quickly noted that the former is said to suit faders and the latter drawers of the ball. Three-time winner here and two-time Augusta winner Bubba Watson said: “Imagination is huge around here. It's so much fun. This golf course, they don't change it, they haven't changed it since I've been around, so it's a blast every year we come here and I get to create shots. Same thing at Augusta, you can be creative.” Augusta National specialist Jordan Spieth is not so sure. “I’m not quite patient enough to play this golf course,” he admits. Adam Scott plays exceptionally well here and once said: “I think it’s no secret the least putts are made here on Tour all year. The greens are quite severe. It’s an old traditional style golf course with severe greens.”
Angles to consider 1/ Course form This week is a strong one for one of the most basic of factors: previous course form. Five of the last seven champions had a course top three in their back catalogue and six of the seven had top fives. 2/ Californian Poa Annua form Riviera, like other regular PGA Tour Californian venues Silverado, Torrey Pines and Pebble Beach, is a traditional test, near the ocean with Poa Annua on the greens. In the last seven editions of this tournament Bubba Watson has won twice and is something of an exception to the other five winners. In what way? Those five all had a Californian Poa top 10 in their last three starts in the conditions. 3/ Driving Riviera has long been seen as a course that tests from the tee. Six of the last seven winners came into the week in form with the driver which is to say they ranked top 11 in at least one of their previous two starts.
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Viktor Hovland He’s played the course twice, finishing fifth and fourth. He’s also finished T12th at Pebble Beach in the 2019 US Open and T13th there last time out in California. You can also add a second at Torrey Pines to his Poa California record. He ranked third in SG Off the Tee two starts ago at Pebble Beach and second last week at Scottsdale. Cameron Young He finished second on his course debut last year, his last start in the state on Poa but just prior to that he was T20th at Torrey Pines when carding a Saturday 63 on the South Course. He also has a win and a second on Poa on the second tier, and a second at Detroit last summer. His SG Off the Tee stats are superb – 13 times ranking in the top four since the start of 2022. He was second in the Saudi International at the start of this month. Adam Scott He won this event in a weather-disrupted 36-hole event in 2005 and then properly won it in 2020. He’s also been second twice, second at Torrey Pines and seventh at Pebble Beach. He ended 2022 with second in the Australian Open at the traditional Royal Melbourne, ranked seventh Off the Tee at Plantation in his first 2023 start and was T20th at Waialae.
Tips: 0-3; -6.00pts 1pt e.w. Viktor Hovland at 28/1 (Unibet, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 20th 1pt e.w. Cameron Young at 33/1 (Unibet, BetUK 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 20th 1pt e.w. Adam Scott at 60/1 (Skybet 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) 65th
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