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Golf Monthly

Sport

Paul Higham

Riviera Country Club Selected To Stage 2031 US Open

Riviera (Facility) US Open Golf Oakmont Country Club USGA Pinehurst Resort Los Angeles Country Club (Facility) Merion Golf Club Oakland Hills Country Club Pebble Beach Golf Links (Facility)

Riviera Country Club has been selected as a surprise host for the 2031 US Open despite generally thought to be too small to accommodate the huge footprint that comes with a men’s Major championship.

Just days after Wyndham Clark was crowned at the 123rd US Open at Los Angeles Country Club, which received mixed reviews as a host, the United States Golf Association (USGA) has handed their flagship event to Riviera.

The Los Angeles Times first reported the news after Riviera chief executive Megan Watanabe told members first of the news, before it was confirmed by the USGA.

“We are so grateful that the USGA will return the U.S. Open to our club in 2031,” said Watanabe.

“Over a six-year period, we will showcase our championship course to the world with the U.S. Women’s Open in 2026, the men’s and women’s Olympics competition in 2028 and the U.S. Open in 2031.

"In addition, we will celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2026. We would like to thank the USGA for their confidence and trust in us and we look forward to continuing our long relationship together in the years ahead.”

Los Angeles Country Club hosted the US Open’s return to LA for the first time in 75 years – when Ben Hogan won the 1948 US Open at Riviera to give the venue it’s nickname of Hogan’s Alley.

It’s a regular host for the Genesis Invitational on the PGA Tour and will also host the US Women’s Open in 2026, but given the type of site Riviera occupies, the size of the property and surrounding area, it was considered too small to host a men’s Major.

However, the USGA feel they can stage their flagship event at Riviera, which is undoubtedly a quality course with a huge heritage, in a similar way to how the event played out at LACC last week.

“Riviera Country Club is a truly spectacular course that holds a special place in the game’s history,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer.

The US Open had mixed reviews at Los Angeles Country Club (Image credit: Getty Images)

“We are thrilled to bring the US Open back to the site of such historic moments for golf and the USGA, and look forward to writing a new chapter in 2031.”

Just 22,000 tickets were on sale each day for LACC but increased corporate hospitality boxes brought in plenty of earnings, while holding the tournament on the west coast gives the USGA the lucrative prime time audience on the east for their broadcasts to tap in to.

And the 2023 US Open had some impressive viewing figures to use as proof, with the highest final day figures seen since Gary Woodland won in 2019 at Pebble Beach – another west coast major.

Golf Channel's Rich Lerner also repeated the report, and added he expected some changes to the course at Riviera ahead of staging a US Open.

Riviera has been selected to host the 2031 U.S. Open. Expect #1 to be a par four, #2 to be a five with a softening of 10 green among other tweaks.June 21, 2023

Future US Open sites

Riviera being confirmed by the USGA means they’ll have the next 12 US Open venues already lined up, with 16 of the next 19 tournament hosts already decided.

The US Open will return to California at Pebble Beach in 2027 and again in 2032, which will mean it follows Riviera in back-to-back Californian tournaments.