{"id":479162,"date":"2026-02-20T03:56:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T03:56:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/479162\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T03:56:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T03:56:13","slug":"riviera-should-be-relocated-on-future-pga-tour-schedules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/479162\/","title":{"rendered":"Riviera Should Be Relocated on Future PGA Tour Schedules"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to SI Golf\u2019s Fact or Fiction, where the upcoming Florida Swing means we are that much closer to having our own clubs finally see some sun.<\/p>\n

Once again, we\u2019re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as \u201cFact\u201d or \u201cFiction\u201d along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be \u201cNeutral\u201d since there’s a lot of gray area in golf.<\/p>\n

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X<\/a> account.<\/p>\n

Anthony Kim completed one of golf\u2019s great comeback stories in recent years with a win at LIV Golf Adelaide<\/a>. As the PGA Tour has already welcomed back Brooks Koepka and (later this year) Patrick Reed, it should offer Kim opportunities to play in tournaments next year.<\/p>\n

Bob Harig: FICTION. Kim has not been a member of the PGA Tour for years, and thus he would be subject to the non-member regulations that have been in place for those competing in LIV Golf events. He\u2019d need to sit out a year from his last LIV event. The Tour could certainly make an exception, but that seems unlikely. And why would Kim want to give up what he has on LIV Golf?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Kim is having a rebirth on LIV and if he stays hot he could play his way into major championships. The PGA Tour may well change its criteria next year and open a path for more LIV players to jump, but for now AK seems to be right where he needs to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Max Schreiber: FICTION. When the PGA Tour welcomed Koepka back, it opened a pathway to recent major champions who would still have some status on Tour. Next, perhaps, could be past Tour winner, which Kim is. However, it had been 16 years since Kim won the Houston Open. Allowing anyone back on Tour with a \u201ccool\u201d or \u201cinspiring\u201d story sets a bad precedent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

John Schwarb: NEUTRAL. Kim shouldn\u2019t go to the front of the line next year for regular Tour events, but here\u2019s an idea if the Players really wants to be considered a major<\/a>: give an invite to any multiple LIV event winners from the prior year (adding spots to the now-smaller field to accommodate). So if Kim can back up that first win, he\u2019s heading to TPC Sawgrass in 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tiger Woods told reporters at the Genesis that he is continuing to work on returning to competitive golf and when asked if the Masters isn\u2019t off the table, he simply said \u201cno\u201d<\/a> (with a small grin). Book it: he will have a first-round tee time on April 9.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bob Harig: FACT. The fact that he didn\u2019t hedge and also talked about working his way back seems a good sign that Augusta National is his goal.<\/p>\n

Jeff Ritter: FACT. And that tee time will probably be at around 10:20 a.m. on Thursday, with a nice break before he tees off again Friday at 1:50. He\u2019ll be paired with Tommy Fleetwood and U.S. Amateur champ Mason Howell, and we will all be watching.<\/p>\n

\"Tiger<\/p>\n

Tiger Woods, pictured with Jason Day at the 2024 Masters, may be returning this year. | Adam Cairns \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Max Schreiber: FACT. Less than 50 days away. He\u2019ll find a way to play. If he can, he always does.\u00a0<\/p>\n

John Schwarb: FACT. He tends to be coy but said he\u2019s hitting full shots now. He\u2019ll be ready to go and it would be a disappointment\u2014though not a complete shock\u2014if we find out otherwise a week before the Masters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Woods is part of the PGA Tour\u2019s Future Competitions Committee and said there is a possibility of the Genesis moving to August as a playoff event. That would be the right move for the FedEx Cup.<\/p>\n

Bob Harig: FICTION. Riviera would be great in August but so would Torrey Pines, which is without a sponsor and perhaps without a future date. The Genesis would also run into some scheduling problems with the 2028 Olympic Games to be played at Riviera as well as the 2031 U.S. Open.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jeff Ritter: FACT. The Tour can sort of the Olympics conundrum later, but the FedEx playoff rotation needs a reboot. I think they should go for it.<\/p>\n

Max Schreiber: NEUTRAL. The West Coast swing has some of the best stops on Tour, and when I\u2019m cooped up in New Jersey with snow still on the ground, seeing the California sunshine on TV hits different. With that being said, the Tour reportedly wants to own the summer, and with the FedEx Cup playoffs an afterthought for casual fans, a way to beef them up is to play at prestigious courses like Riviera.\u00a0<\/p>\n

John Schwarb: FACT. This year\u2019s playoff lineup is TPC Southwind in Memphis (as usual, because FedEx), Bellerive in St. Louis and once again East Lake in Atlanta. That\u2019s simply not a good enough trio in terms of courses or markets. As Bob said there are long-term scheduling problems around Riv but no reason to not make this change for 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Woods also confirmed that the PGA of America has \u201casked for my input\u201d on the 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy but said that he hasn\u2019t made up his mind, given his current work with the Tour. He ultimately will not take the job for Adare Manor.<\/p>\n

Bob Harig: FICTION. Woods has a lot going on but, ultimately, the PGA of America is in a tough spot and needs Woods to try and turn around its poor fortunes. The players will buy into a Tiger captaincy and he\u2019s had success as a Presidents Cup captain. An away Ryder Cup never seemed likely, but now it does.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Assistant<\/p>\n

Tiger Woods, pictured at the 2017 Presidents Cup, is undecided on captaining the 2017 Ryder Cup. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Jeff Ritter: FACT. Tiger is grinding towards playing the Masters. I just don\u2019t think he wants to be captain, which is why he hasn\u2019t already accepted the job. But given that Woods has input, here\u2019s a dark horse candidate based on nothing but a hunch: Justin Thomas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Max Schreiber: FACT. Woods will take the role eventually. But it still seems like there\u2019s a lot on his plate with rehab and leading the PGA Tour\u2019s overhaul on the Future Competition Committee. That will ultimately cause him to push back his captaincy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

John Schwarb: FACT. I have never been convinced that Tiger loves the Ryder Cup and he is now into a second one where he is brushing off captaincy talk due to his Tour governance work. So for an event not owned by the Tour, I don\u2019t see him dedicating the necessary time. At least not yet. <\/p>\n

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