Ludvig Aberg has sparked conversation as he suggests that the Genesis Invitational, usually hosted by Tiger Woods, should tee off at Torrey Pines. The PGA Tour event is facing a venue change for its upcoming edition due to the recent wildfires near Los Angeles.
Normally held at Riviera Country Club, the tournament’s location is reeling from the fire’s impact. Although the course itself escaped damage, it lies in a community wracked by devastation.
Ludvig Aberg and his swing have caught the eye of Tiger Woods (Image: Brennan Asplen/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
In an official release, the PGA Tour expressed their concerns: “The PGA Tour’s focus continues to be on the safety and well-being of those affected by the unprecedented natural disaster in Greater Los Angeles. We are grateful for the life-saving efforts of first responders and the tireless work being done to put an end to the tragic wildfires.”
“In collaboration with Genesis, The Riviera Country Club and TGR Live, and out of respect for the unfolding situation, we have determined that The Genesis Invitational 2025 will be played at an alternate location the week of Feb. 10-16. A venue update and additional tournament information will be provided in the coming days.”
Torrey Pines, a previous U.S. Open host and this week’s Farmers Insurance Open location, is in the spotlight as one potential replacement site. Aberg, currently topping the leaderboards, is pushing for the San Diego course to be picked as the alternative venue by Tiger Woods and his team.
“No pushback from me. Bring it here, please,” Aberg said of the prospect of the Genesis heading to Torrey Pines. “First off, visually I love Torrey,” the Swede commented.
“It’s so nice to be out here, and the weather’s so nice and the air feels so crisp when you come out the doors. The golf course, I feel like I like it, it suits me.
Aberg shared his thoughts on the relocation of the Genesis Invitational ( Image: Getty Images)
“You need to drive it well, you need to hit it high to get into some of these greens and putt it well, so I like my chances when I’m playing at Torrey. That’s one of the reasons why I had it circled on my calendar. It’s a nice place to start the year and looking forward to keep it going.”
In recent years Aberg has become golf’s hottest rising star, bursting onto the scene having turned amateur just over a year-and-a-half ago. In that time he has won on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, played at the Ryder Cup, and broke into the top-10 players in the world.
He has also been handed a spot on the TGL roster, an indoor golf league recently launched by Rory McIlroy and Woods. Having starred on his debut earlier this month, Woods could not speak highly enough of the youngster.
“It’s so simple,” the 82-time PGA Tour winner said of Aberg’s swing, paying him the ultimate compliment.
“Just straight up, straight down. [Aberg] doesn’t do anything wrong in his golf swing,” Woods stated. “There’s no little things that he does, and there’s nothing that’s not going to stop him from being one of the world’s best. “.
