LaCava Tried To Talk Tiger Into Playing Riviera...To No Avail

Jill Painter reports that bagman Joe LaCava tried unsuccessfully to get Tiger to play Riviera.

"Joey" guided Fred Couples around the Northern Trust Open host course to two memorable wins and several other near-victories, including as recently as 2011.

LaCava told reporters after the victory that Woods wouldn't play in Los Angeles.

"I tried to talk him into it," LaCava told reporters, adding that Woods will play in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship the week after Riviera and then Doral.

Comments

[Viz]

No news here with that.

[DTF]

That's the sort of thing Joe might want to avoid commenting on if long term employment is a priority....

[Viz]

agreed Del...

[tlavin]

This begging is getting a little obnoxious. I understand that the promoters want Tiger. Everybody wants Tiger, but he isn't interested, even if he could exponentially raise the attendance and the television ratings. I think Phil had about 38 people following him last year. The LA golf crowd really gets fired up, it seems, for this event.

All of which is a shame, because despite the Fazio bunkering the Riv is a bit of a national treasure, it seems to me. Love the layout and the history.

[STP]

No Honda this year?

[DTF]

STP, I bet he plays Matchplay, Honda, Doral and Bay Hill before the Masters. The good news is two of those events will actually *count* should he manage to finish with the low score! (or win the last hole in the case of matchplay)

I think Tiger needs to lose the black/red Sunday duds...because they only lead to duds. The tans and yellows and such seem to bring out the great play!

[D. maculata]

Got to hand it to Del. He takes on all comers.....even Marty Hackel.

[Abu Dhabi Golfer]

Don't forget the Tavistock Cup. I hear Josh Teater is on the verge of getting invited which will almost qualify it as a real event.

Is Tiger on Team Pink again this year? Representing a residential course development he has never seen kind of jinxed him last year.

[Ed]

DTF, can you pls explan the format at the tavistock? you, the oracle, are the only person who might be able to understand it

[DTF]

No idea Ed, never seen the event -- you want to do a deep dive and come back to us? We did have some fun with the 990's a couple years ago!

D. mac, it's amazing how far that Marty Hackel has come since we first played golf up at Hudson National over a decade ago ;0)

[benseattle]

Why TW doesn't want to occasionally support an event that provided him an exemption as a 16-year old and is contested on one of the country's finest, most challenging layouts is beyond me.

Is there a rumor of "Tiger revenge" on the L.A. Open that I haven't heard about? We hear constantly how this guy can give a cold shoulder and hold grudge with the shelf-life of the most ancient Pyramids.

[Coachella Valley Confidential]

benseattle - I think that you might be thinking of the Humana (formerly Bob Hope Desert Classic) - Earl Woods blacklisted the event for not giving Tiger an exemption back in 1992.

With respect to Riviera, I think it is a horses for courses thing.

There is a lot of revenge and spite in the Woods Camp, but I haven't heard of anything specific towards Riviera.

[AG]

I wonder if Woods wears red on Sunday when he's not playing?

[Sun Mountain Man]

If Jerry West couldn't get the guy it's not hard to believe "Joey" couldn't convince him.

[Abu Dhabi Golfer]

AG - Here is Tiger wearing a red nike shirt at a Vegas bar picking up .. ahem, ladies.

http://anythinghollywood dot com/wp-content/2009/12/1130_tiger_tao_21.jpg

So yes, it is conceivable that we wears red any day when he's not playing.

[DTF]

Sun Mountain, the thought is that Jerry never straight out asked Tiger for the order -- gotta ask for the order.

The average person has no chance of really understanding what motivates savants like Jobs, Lombardi, Woods...so don't let it bother you ben ;0)

[Elf]

Not everything is a conspiracy theory. Tiger played Riviera for a decade, a rate of return most sponsors would be thrilled to get on a sponsors exemption (& the exemption was several sponsors and tourn dir's ago). But he clearly doesn't love the course & once he started playin in the Middle East & with the placement of the wgc's it didn't make sense on his schedule.

I am guessing he will play Honda again this yr, and if so with Riviera that'd be 4 in a row, never going to happen. There are to many good tourn & they'd all like to have tiger

[grr]

and that will be the last time Joe talks to anyone... lol

[benseattle]

<< so don't let it bother you ben ;0) >>

Coach, haven't you figured it out? EVERYTHING BOTHERS ME!

Heh, heh.

[DTF]

LOL ;0) Hey, have you ever been over and played Wenatchee CC?

[fred jones]

why should Tiger play someplace where he has no chance to win??

[Sari]

He had a chance to win Riv in 1999 until he blew his 5 iron way right on the last. Rumor has it that this was The last straw with respect to Fluff because be did not have the yardage

[Bobby D]

"once he started playin in the Middle East & with the placement of the wgc's it didn't make sense on his schedule."

You mean when the 2-3 million $ appearance fees started rolling in? How much appearance fee does Riviera offer him?
So you think he disses Riviera because of "scheduling"? You poor dear, bless you.

[Stord]

I think that's the last we hear from Joey for some time!

[DTF]

fred, you also have to factor in the fact, that, Riviera doesn't *count*. So at this point in his career there's no reason for Tiger to chase a 3rd or 4th tier schlockey events, unless that is they are paying $3 Large to show up and Mr. West ain't stepping up and writing checks like Mr. Justice is ready willing and able to do...

[Pasaplayer]

Too much poa, and all those other reasons.

[elf]

@Bobby D, wait what? Yes bc of scheduling, as in a tournament in the middle east is willing to pay him 3 million dollars & he plays the WGC's, so then the schedule is full. If Riviera offered him 3 million dollars I'm sure it would impact his scheduling too :P

[AK47]

He's not a mudder and he's not gonna play four in a row

[Danny Boy]

I usually don’t agree with @benseattle, @ADG and others that are hypercritical of Tiger, but in this case I do. In fact, I compiled a list of tournaments that he has traditionally skipped and listed a compelling reason(s) to play. Clearly, he needs to start playing a 35 – 36 tournament schedule.  
 
Sony Open – How dare he not play in Hawaii? Surf, sun and the beach, what’s not to like?
Humana – Bill Clinton, the ex-Prez. Health care initiative and 35 birdies to win. Plus, you get a new amateur partner every day!
Waste Management – Go Green. Enough Said!
AT&T – Pebble Beach, six hour rounds and celebs, what more can you ask for?!
Northern Trust – Riviera, great course that has been Fazio’d! They gave your first sponsor exemption to you 21 years ago. Plus, just think,  that kid that shared his candy bar with you in 6th grade might be there and you can pay him back with a Double Size Snickers Bar! Pay it Forward!
Puerto Rico Open (Opposite Doral)– Hey, you’ve never been to Puerto Rico. How can you deny all those people the opportunity to see you play! Plus, Trump will be bummed.
Tampa Bay – It’s in Florida already. Car. Gas Pedal.
Shell Houston Open – Just do it to spite Chevron!
Valero – You’ve never been, plus you might get a free gas card!
RBC Heritage – You can join Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Anthony Kim (oops, maybe not) and Hunter Mahan at this prestigious event! Just one person’s guess that they are planning to play since they are all sponsored by RBC!
Zurich Classic – Help rebuild the community with your presence.
HP Byron Nelson – Past winner, plus there is great big Texas hair there.
Colonial – Please honor Ben Hogan, one of the warmest, friendliest golfers of his generation…oops, my bad.
Fed Ex St Jude – For the Kids!
Travelers – Hey, it’s a TPC course in Connecticut. You have to play this one!
Greenbrier Classic – When was the last time you were in West Virginia? Oh, last year? Got that one wrong
John Deere Classic – Steve Stricker’s Torrey Pines. People would actually watch the event finally and S.S. would get some nice airtime.
True South Classic – Why play the Open Championship, when you can be in Madison, Mississippi?
RBC Canadian Open - Canada! One of your greatest second shots at an event that was once deemed the 5th major, but now is a third tier event according to some!
Reno Tahoe (Opposite Bridgestone) – Once again, when was the last time you ever gave your Reno fans a chance to watch you. Forget Akron, OH
Wyndham – Free hotel rooms!

[DTF]

HEY! Danny Boy! LOVE your enthusiasm man but come on now, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT, PLEASE!

At best Canadian Open is now a 6th tier schlock event, only 36 OWGR points, same as the John Deere ;0)

[Hawkeye]

Thanx for the laughs, Danny Boy!

[digsouth]

Danny Boy- Well Done, loads of laffs!

TW did play ''The Valero'' several sponsors ago, in his early days on tour.

[Bobby D]

Danny Boy...thanks for the fun...but when the laughter dies down we have the tears of a clown...you just listed what used to be the PGA Tour that we all loved...became the grass roots and the foundation...now we make fun of all these dates and render them "meaningless" because Finchem and Tiger Woods reduced them to scrap...sad.

[Bobby D]

"If Riviera offered him 3 million dollars I'm sure it would impact his scheduling too :P "

thank you for making my point for me :o)

[DTF]

Bobby D, what would you do in the same situation?

[Bobby D]

Pay me ten million a year...I'lll think of something :o)