Northern Trust Open - Los Angeles Open Past Winners And History

Known for the vast majority of its life as The Los Angeles Open, the Northern Trust Open also has flown under the banner of the Nissan Open and—in the days of the celebrity hosted event—the Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open. Since 1973, it has been played at the fabled Riviera Country Club, with the exception of 1983, when the club hosted the PGA Championship and 1998, when it hosted the US Senior Open.

The tournament and the Club have gained a place in golf history. In the 1938 tournament, Babe Zaharias became the first woman to play in a men’s professional tournament. Ben Hogan won there in 1942, 1947 and 1948—which, along with his 1948 US Open victory at Riviera, gave the place the sobriquet “Hogan’s Alley.” Three victories in two years at Riviera is an amazing accomplishment. Finally, the 1992 Nissan Los Angeles Open gave amateur Tiger Woods his first spot in a professional tournament—a favor he has repaid by never again returning to the event.

The inaugural Los Angeles Open was played in 1926 at the Los Angeles Country Club. The next year, it moved to El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana. It moved again in 1928 to the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Open made its first appearance at the Riviera Country Club in 1929 and 1930. In the 1930s the event was held at the Wilshire Country Club, the Hillcrest Country Club, The Los Angeles Country Club an Griffith Park.

Following a break for World War II, the Los Angeles Open was played at the Wilshire Country Club in 1944, and then for the next nine years at Riviera. In the 1950s, it was played at Fox Hills Country Club, Inglewood Country Club and Inglewood. Rancho Park hosted the event from 1956 to 1972.

Riviera Country Club, the current host of the Northern Trust - Los Angeles Open is one of the country’s fabled courses. The course opened in 1926 as the Los Angeles Athletic Golf Course with George Thomas listed as its principal designer. Credit, however, also is given to Alister Mackenzie and Billie Bell. After several redesigns, Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore made an attempt in 1992 to return Riviera’s bunkers to the original Thomas-MacKenzie design.

Thomas’ work at Riviera is oft cited for its risk-reward design. The first, for example, is a short par 5 that has a tee elevated some 75 feet above the fairway. It’s possible to make an Eagle on this hole, but thanks to out of bounds left and a ditch crossing the fairway, a wayward drive can drive to score to a double bogey. The par 4 eighth has two fairways separated by a ditch. Ten, a par 4 , is drivable, but greenside bunkers make it a risky proposition. The eleventh and twelfth are defended by ditches, bunkers and trees. I also think it has one of the great finishing holes—a par 4 with a mostly blind tee shot and a green situated in a natural amphitheater.

The course also has a bit of humor. The par 3 sixth has a bunker in the middle of the green. I wonder what Hogan thought of that. For my part, Riviera is on my list of courses I’d most like to play.

While Hogan had four victories at Riviera, he had only three Los Angeles Open Titles. The records for most victories at the Los Angles Open are held by Macdonald Smith (1928, 1929, 1932, 1934) and Lloyd Mangrum (1949, 1951, 1953, 1956). A complete list of winners follows: