Tournament: Genesis Open – Riviera CC, Pacific Palisades, CA
Hole: 6th – Par 3, 199 Yards
Architect(s): Captain George C. Thomas – 1926

Architectural Summary:

The 6th hole at Riviera CC is the famous uphill par 3 featuring a pot bunker in the center of the green. From the tournament tee, the hole plays 199 yards and will require a mid-iron from competitors as they look to find the correct quadrant of the green. The tree-lined right side of the hole will likely dissuade players from hitting any right-to-left shots. The large, two-tiered green measures 22 yards deep by nearly 40 yards at its widest point. Protected by a sizable u-shaped bunker short, the green also features two smaller bunkers to the left and rear of the putting surface. The green slopes severely from back to front. While the 6-yard-wide pot bunker divides the green into four quadrants, the putting surface features complex contouring to allow competitors to navigate around the hazard. Competitors do have the option to chip over the bunker should they prefer, rather than putting around the bunker. The most difficult hole locations will be found in the back-left quadrant, while the front-right quadrant will see more birdie chances because of its size. Overall, the 6th hole will likely offer some entertainment throughout the tournament as competitors are forced to be creative on the green, but will also see plenty of scoring opportunities.

Statistical Analysis:

During the 2016 tournament, the 6th hole played to a scoring average of 3.02 (67 birdies, 301 pars, 70 bogeys, and 3 double bogeys).

Fun Facts:

• During regular member play, Riviera does not allow players to use a wedge on the green to chip over the hole’s signature bunker. During the Genesis Open, however, competitors are given the option to use a wedge to work their way over the center pot bunker.
• There have been 15 aces at Riviera’s unique 6th hole since first hosting the PGA Tour event in 1984. The last player to record a hole-in-one on the 199-yard hole was Lucas Glover in 2015 when he hit an 8-iron from 152 yards during the tournament’s second round.
• The course record at Riviera is 61 (-10), which was achieved by Ted Tryba in the third round of the 1999 tournament. Tryba’s round included a bogey on the 18th hole to finish his round.