The crowds surround the 18th hole as golfers complete their rounds during the Genesis Open.
The Genesis Invitational, hosted by Tiger Woods, will open its doors to the public at the Riviera Country Club Thursday, February 15 to Sunday, February 18.
A collegiate showcase will be held February 12, with the winning collegiate player gaining a berth to play the opening rounds. Many may remember Sahith Theegala, a Pepperdine golfer, who won in 2017, and then played the opening rounds. He tied for 40th at 2-under 140 with Phil Mickeson and J. B. Holmes and spent the next two days golfing with the two PGA greats.
As an amateur, he finished tied with six other players for 49th. He turned pro in 2020 and joined the tour in 2022. Currently he’s ranked 5th on the PGA money list, with about $2.5 million and placed fifth at the WM Phoenix Open with -17. He plans to play in the Genesis.
Tuesday the course is closed for practice rounds for golfers and on Wednesday it is the Pro-Am, presented by Bang & Olufsen. During the Pro-Am, golfers pay to play a round of golf with the professionals.
2023 Genesis winner Jon Rahm with tournament host Tiger Woods.
Photo: TGR Live/J.D. Cuban
Tiger Woods has said he will play the tournament that he hosts.
Ticket prices are for the day and ground access starts at $110, access to the Riviera clubhouse and grounds is $175. A ticket to the “bluffs” $485, which includes beverage service in a climate-controlled lounge with tee-to-green views of 14. The most expensive one-day ticket, $825, is to the “backlot,” but that includes upscale dining, in a climate-controlled lounge with views of 18 green. Tickets can only be purchased online in advance of the tournament. There will be no walk-up box office sales at the tournament’s main entrance during event week.
There is no public parking at or on the surrounding streets of The Riviera Country Club. All surrounding streets have parking restrictions from Wednesday, February 14 to Sunday, February 18 – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There is no public parking at Paul Revere Middle School, that lot is used for press and VIPs. (The tournament pays LAUSD for the right to park on the field.)
People attending the tournament with a regular ticket must take the shuttle to Santa Monica. The shuttle pick-up and drop-off location is located on Wilshire Boulevard between 2nd St. and 3rd St. The shuttle will drop guests at the tournament’s Main Entrance on Longworth Drive.
Guests do NOT need a tournament ticket to ride the shuttle but will need to purchase a ticket online using a mobile device before entering the tournament.
Santa Monica Promenade property owner John Alle warned that the City parking lots are unsafe and that tournament goers should be warned.
“They are cleaned properly, but all the structures and Structure 1 where most park, are full of urine, feces and lights are burned out,” Alle said. “Homeless addicts are still sleeping inside to avoid the cold, and they stay during the day to charge their phones. And vehicles are on several floors with homeless people inside. It is awful.”
CTN contacted Santa Monica City Mayor Phil Brock and asked about the parking structures. He responded on February 9. “The parking lots will be safe. There are lots of people around.”
For people in Pacific Palisades going to the tournament, one of the easiest ways to access the course is to take the Metro bus, that travels along Sunset.
During the February 8 Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting, residents asked new West L.A. Patrol Captain Alisha Jordan for help in enforcement during the Genesis.
Last year a party bus, with a handicapped license plate parked in front of residences off Allenford Avenue. Residents complained that people were drinking and smoking in the bus and that parking couldn’t ask them to move because of the license.
The designated rideshare drop-off and pick-up location is at the middle school 1450 Allenford Avenue. Other residents asked Jordan if it was okay that middle school kids be subjected to the large number of inebriated people that walked towards the school. “Drinking seems to be as important as golfing to some people,” one resident observed.
Jordan said, “We will have a large number of officers deployed during the tournament.”
Hi Sue, Please add that the structures are not up to current ADA requirements, despite pleas from the business community and residents. The public needs to know some elevators have been closed for repairs, making long walks to the shuttle area an inconvenience. And the City and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. have no explanation as to why the permits inside the elevators show being expired.