‘Did Not Survive the Fire’: Local Golf Venue Destroyed in LA Tragedy as Concerns Rise for Riviera Course

Mother Nature is showing no mercy. As we all know a wildfire is blazing through Pacific Palisades. Riviera, the home of Genesis Invitational, and majors in coming years is at risk. But this time, it’s Altadena Golf Course in Southern California that got caught in the fierce grip of the wildfires.

Located just under five miles from the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, Altadena Golf Course shared a heartbreaking Instagram post on Wednesday, announcing that its clubhouse “did not survive the fire.” A video posted alongside the message showed the fire burning from the ground, with the building barely holding up against the heat. Despite the overwhelming loss, the course remained hopeful, stating, “We will come back stronger.” This nine-hole course, which opened back in 1910, was caught up in the Eaton Fire. And unfortunately, it’s not just this course suffering.

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In the last 24 hours alone, the wildfires have caused widespread damage across California. Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that his family had to evacuate their home, and the Los Angeles Kings game against the Calgary Flames, scheduled to be played at Crypto.com Arena, was postponed due to the fires.

On Wednesday, President Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom met with firefighting officials to get an update on the situation. While no questions were taken from the press, Newsom thanked the president for federal support, and the National Guard was called in to help. FEMA is stepping in to cover some of the costs, and nearly 100 schools in the area have been closed. Tragically, five people have lost their lives, according to the New York Times.

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Just last year, Canada’s top-rated Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was hit by a fire, and the year before, a forest fire in Australia took out the clubhouse at Greg Norman’s Eastern Golf Club. Even Augusta National wasn’t spared when Hurricane Helene caused damage just a few months ago. Now, with Riviera Club also in the news for similar reasons, it’s starting to feel like a tragic trend we really wish would stop.

What is the current status of the Riviera Country Club?The Riviera Country Club is currently in the mandatory evacuation zone due to the Pacific Palisades fire. On a more positive note, a reporter at this week’s Sony Open in Honolulu mentioned that as of Wednesday afternoon, Riviera hadn’t been damaged by the fires yet. At that time, the fire was still zero percent contained, which means everyone was still holding their breath. The latest update says that there has been a water shortage as well, which is making containing the fire even harder.

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Riviera, which was established in 1926 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, has long been a staple of the golf world, hosting a PGA Tour event every year since 1973, except for a couple of years in the ’80s and ’90s. It’s also hosted the Los Angeles Open multiple times, the 1948 U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship in both 1983 and 1995. Looking ahead, the course is set to host some big events, including the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2028 Summer Olympics, and the 2031 U.S. Open.

Keegan Bradley shared his thoughts, “It’s sad because I played with four guys from LA today, and they’re stressed out. Their families had to evacuate, and their homes could be gone. It’s sad.” Let’s hope this beloved course makes it through the fire unscathed and continues to be a center for golf in the years to come.

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