From the first L.A. Open in 1926 to the current Northern Trust Open, professional golf achieves a measure of glamour in the City of Angels. Especially on the verdant George Thomas masterpiece just off Sunset Boulevard that is Riviera CC, the golfers seem better dressed, their shotmaking more sophisticated, the surrounding homes more luxurious, and the gallery more urbane. Los Angeles knows from great performers, and its appreciation for winning players has often been reciprocated with more wins. These five in particular kept bringing their best.
Ben Hogan: 1942, 1947, 1948
Hogan once said "anyone who doesn't live in California is a victim of circumstance." He loved Hollywood, where he took a screen test in 1941, and where stars like William Holden, Jimmy Stewart and Katherine Hepburn befriended him. He even enjoyed consulting on "Follow the Sun," despite the result. "Hogan liked movie people," said Paul Runyan. "He understood them and they understood him." Hogan's consecutive wins at Riviera, followed by his 1948 U.S. Open victory, caused it to be dubbed Hogan's Alley. The course was also the site of his most poignant LA moment, when he made the 1950 tournament his first start after his near fatal car accident, and showed his grit and brilliance before losing in a playoff to Sam Snead.
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- Fred Couples,
- Phil Mickelson,
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- My Five
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