Leagues

Torrey Pines Subs In for Second 2025 PGA Tour Event After Wildfires

The PGA Tour is returning to Torrey Pines Golf Course for the second time in four weeks after the deadly Los Angeles wildfires forced the Genesis Invitational to move out of Riviera Country Club.

By David Rumsey

Feb 12, 2025 | 03:21 pm

Jan 25, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Harris English plays his shot from the 16th tee during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course - South Course.

Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Torrey Pines Golf Course in Southern California is set to host its second PGA Tour event in four weeks, as Los Angeles continues to recover from deadly wildfires.

After hosting its annual tournament, the Farmers Insurance Open held Jan. 22–25, Torrey Pines is subbing in as the replacement venue for the Genesis Invitational, which was moved out of its longtime home, Riviera Country Club. While the course itself was not damaged by the fires, neighborhoods around it were severely impacted.

Torrey Pines is roughly 120 miles south of Los Angeles in La Jolla, Calif. It’s famous in its own right, as the site of several previous major championships, including the 2008 U.S. Open where Tiger Woods won in a playoff while playing on a broken leg.

Genesis, the luxury car brand owned by Hyundai, is making an $8 million contribution to wildfire relief efforts, largely through the donation of 100 tournament vehicles collectively valued at $7.5 million.

Same Course, Bigger Stakes

While the golf at Torrey Pines will look largely like it did last month, this week’s tournament is offering more than double the prize money.

The Genesis Invitational is the third of the PGA Tour’s eight signature events this season, with a $20 million purse and $4 million winner’s check. Last month, Harris English took home $1.67 million for winning the Farmers Insurance Open, which had a $9.3 million purse.

The Tiger Effect

Tiger Woods, who has hosted the Genesis Invitational since 2020 via his TGR Live event company, was set to make his 2025 PGA Tour debut this week but withdrew Monday, citing the passing of his mother, Kultida Woods, who died Feb. 4.

“I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready,” Woods wrote on social media. “I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my Mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”

Woods, who won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, said he hopes to attend the tournament later in the week. The 15-time major champion had back surgery in September, but in January was able to compete in two matches in his new indoor golf league, TGL.