2011 Northern Trust Open: The Intimacy Of Classic Course Spectating

Fans could listen in on Geoff Ogilvy and Squirrel discussing options (click to enlarge)A glorious day at Riviera and while the gallery was meager compared to the glory days of the 90's, an improvement over last year. Though the surroundings are special and the opportunity to walk a course of Riviera's stature are a treat, I was struck several times at just what a different spectating experience older courses provide compared to a TPC.

Sure, the sight lines are not as great when the gallery swells and amphitheater or grandstand seating is not available, but the ability to get close to players and eavesdrop on conversations when they hit wayward drives is unlike anything else in sport. The PGA Tour noted this in its clever Sunday newspaper wrap, and it's something they need to continue to drive home when possible.

Even with no wind and pristine conditions, Riviera held its own thanks to sneaky fast greens, the vagaries of kikuyu and some thought provoking hole locations. Doug Ferguson reports on the wacky 9-way tie for first, while John Strege filed blog posts on Bubba Watson's WD and Bob Harig reports on Dustin Johnson's 2-stroke lateness penalty. And as noted previously, there was Anthony Kim's truly terrible luck.

A few other images from our last day of sun until Sunday.

The question everyone was asking today was answered by the stunningly cluttered but still pretty to look at ShotLink videoboards. (Click to enlarge)

Lucas Glover kindly asked Lunde, Vegas and Bradley to pause while he played through. They were on No. 7, he was playing the 15th. (click to enlarge)

Phil Mickelson drives at No. 9 (click to enlarge)

Late light at No. 16 as players approach (click to enlarge)

Quick (And Also Rough) Look at Riviera's 6th

Today's look, with a few glitches, at the par-3 6th hole which features some new short grass behind the green.

A Quick (And Rough) Look at Riviera's 5th

At the end of last year many of you requested more posts on architecture. So I took my iPhone out to Riviera Monday and shot this four minute look at the 434-yard fifth hole, one of my favorites and one of the few that hasn't been tinkered with too much in recent years.

Compton In At Riviera

We lose Ernie Els to a ""sore neck"" (note the double quotes) and Graeme McDowell ended up not entering after committing to recharge his batteries one more week, but I'm more than happy to see Erik Compton Monday qualify to the Northern Trust Open along with Pepperdine great Jason Gore. Randall Mell reports.

Even better, the qualifiers all go from the putrid Eisenhower Course at Industry Hills to the splendor of Riviera!

Finding An LA Marketing Groove?

Too bad the forecast for this week's Rain Dance Open at Riviera stinks, because we probably won't know if PGA Tour Championship Management's stepped-up marketing efforts are paying off.

First there was the Groupon ticket buy that sold 252 "Weekender" passes, and then (below), the super-cool plastic wrap around Sunday's LA Times featuring a free ticket offer and a Northern Trust Open-logoed green Sharpee.

"They wouldn't even let me leave early before Shabbat."

Jill Painter files a story about Wade Morris, a former Angeles National Golf Club employee who was banned from the Northern Trust Open qualifier at the course because he has filed a discrimination complaint after the course fired him. It's a bit confusing because the Southern California PGA runs the qualifier, but it appears they are the ones who complied with the course's wish to ban Morris.

This year, he and Hull went through the Southern California PGA to get permission to play at Angeles National, where Morris felt he would have an advantage since he played the course and worked there from 2006-09. Morris said he was told on Friday that he couldn't play because the PGA-sanctioned event would follow the rules of the club. Hull said Angeles National filed paperwork so that Morris couldn't play there.

given the option to play another qualifying event in Southern California. He played at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills. He shot an 80 and didn't advance through qualifying.

The next qualifier is Monday.

The 25-year-old Morris said when he worked at the club he was not given Jewish holidays off or time to attend temple.

"I was a salaried employee and manager as well," Morris said. "I would request time off for holidays, and they wouldn't give it to me.

"They wanted to pay me the same amount, no matter how much I worked. I requested four to five Jewish holidays off and no luck. They wouldn't even let me leave early before Shabbat."