History

With a corporate history dating back to 1889, Northern Trust's partnership with the tournament in the setting of the Riviera Country Club is a natural. The Northern Trust Open is ready to continue the tradition of excellence by providing exciting PGA TOUR professional golf to the fans in Southern California and throughout the world.
 
HIGHLIGHTS OVER THE YEARS INCLUDE:


1926 The Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce puts up a $10,000 purse for the first LA Open - the richest prize in professional golf.
1929 The LA Open became the first tournament to be broadcast on radio.
1938 "Babe" Didrickson Zaharias became the first woman to play in a PGA men's event.
1942 Ben Hogan won his first LA Open title.
1945 Sam Snead birdied the 18th hole on the final day to defeat Byron Nelson by one stroke.
1947 Ben Hogan set a course record with a score of 280.
1948 Ben Hogan won both the US Open and the LA Open at Riviera Country Club, causing many to begin calling the Club "Hogan's Alley." He set a Riviera Country Club course record of 275.
  1952 Joe Louis became the first African-American to compete in a PGA sanctioned event.

 

 1956 Lloyd Mangrum won the tournament for the fourth time, something only MacDonald Smith had previously accomplished.
  1962 Jack Nicklaus won his first professional paycheck, earning $33.33.
1967 Arnold Palmer won the tournament for the third time with a four-day total of 269, just one off the record held by Phil Rogers.
1969 Charlie Sifford, the first African-American member of the PGA TOUR, wins the LA Open.  
1982 Tom Watson defeated Johnny Miller in one of the greatest comeback victories in tournament history.  
  1992 Tiger Woods played in his first PGA TOUR event as an amateur at the age of 16.
  1995 Corey Pavin became only the fifth player to win back-to-back victories at the LA Open, joining MacDonald Smith, Ben Hogan, Paul Harney and Arnold Palmer.
  2004 Mike Weir became the sixth player to win back-to-back tournaments.
  2007 Charles Howell III defeated Phil Mickelson on the third playoff hole.
  2008 Phil Mickelson seized control from Jeff Quinney on the back nine and closed with a 1-under 70 for a two-shot victory, the 33rd of his career.
2009 Phil Mickelson captured the win by one stroke over Steve Stricker.  
2010 Steve Stricker won the tournament and secured his ranking of the number two player in the world.
2011 Aaron Baddeley won the 2011 tournament.    
     
     
 
VIEW 83 YEARS OF PAST CHAMPIONS