Riviera remains a favorite to many

2008-02-16

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By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PACIFIC PALISADES, California (Ticker) - When the PGA Tourflirted with the idea of moving the then-Nissan Open fromRiviera Country Club to a TPC course 45 minutes outside of LosAngeles, it was met with universal disapproval.

An official at Nissan said they would pull out if the tournamentwas moved from the historic course and several players saidthey probably wouldn''t play if it was at another venue.

This is the course that Ben Hogan helped make famous, was thefirst place Jack Nicklaus cashed a check as a professional andhas hosted golfers such as Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, JimmyDemaret, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller and Gary Player.

"Everybody loves this place," said Kevin Sutherland, who hasplayed in this event every year since 1996. "I don''t knowanybody who doesn''t. It''s a great golf course and unfortunatelythey don''t build them like this very often anymore. It''s atremendous course."

Defending champion, Charles Howell has always finished secondand tied for sixth here and liked the course the first time hesaw it.

"You can tell when a golf course fits your eye the first timeyou play it," Howell said. "From the first time I went aroundRiviera, I just loved the shape of it. I loved how every holewas defined by trees. But yet, you never feel reallyclaustrophobic on it. It''s not overly tight, but the trees doshape the golf course. I''ve always liked that about it."

Fred Couples has long championed this course and even though heis approaching 50, wants to keep playing even after he hasjoined the Champions Tour.

"If they gave me a post, I''d rather play here than a seniorevent," Couples said. "I''ll be here a couple more years atleast. It''s my favorite course."

Couples has played this event since 1982, missing only last yearbecause of his bad back. He has won the event twice andfinished in the top 10 11 other times.

Robert Allenby is another golfer that has had success at RivieraCountry Club. Allenby won here in 2001 and has two other top 10finishes, including a tie for third.

"I''ve got a lot of good memories here and this golf course setsup really well for me," Allenby said. "I love the greens. Poahas always been one of my favorite surfaces to putt on. I grewup on Poa, so these greens really suit my eye."

Scott McCarron went to school at UCLA and played Riviera manytimes and always looks forward to playing here.

"I played here quite a bit, so this is one of my favorite golfcourses on the PGA Tour," McCarron said. "I just love thisplace and have some good feelings coming in here."

Phil Mickelson had played in this event seven times from 1988 to1999 and never finished better than a tie for 15th. Hereturned last year and lost in a playoff and has the lead afterthree rounds this year.

"I don''t really know why it turned, but when I played last year,I felt really good on the course and I felt I was going to playwell this week," Mickelson said. "I felt heading into thisweek, I was really close to playing really well."

One of the reasons Mickelson believes he is playing better hereis he is commuting from his home in San Diego, rather thanstaying at a hotel. Mickelson is flying from a local airportnear his house and landing at a small airport near the course.It is taking him a little more than an hour door to door and heis able to spend the evening with his family.

"It never even dawned on me to commute and this has worked outgreat," Mickelson said. "I get to be at home for dinner, seethe kids, sleep in my own bed and I think that''s helped me playwell here."

Another top golfer who likes this tournament - but has not wonhere - is Tiger Woods.

Woods has not played here since finishing 101st in 2006, butHowell believes he''ll be back.

"I have no idea why he is not here, because every time there''sever been a golf course or a style of golf that someone thoughtTiger couldn''t do, he ended up proving everyone wrong," Howellsaid. "It''s quite funny actually, which is kind of the one thingthat kind makes everyone think that Tiger will show up in L.A.again just to prove everyone wrong and win there."