Riviera Awaits: First Glimpses of the 2026 U.S. Women's Open
There are golf courses, and then there are golf courses that feel like they've been waiting for you your entire life. Riviera Country Club is decidedly the latter. Standing on the grounds this week as the 2026 U.S. Women's Open begins to unfold, I'm reminded why this place occupies such hallowed ground in the American golf imagination.
A Setting Unlike Any Other
The practice rounds are underway, and Riviera is putting on a show. The marine layer that hangs over Pacific Palisades each morning burns off to reveal those impossibly green fairways carved through the canyon, the iconic eucalyptus trees standing sentinel, and the kind of natural amphitheater that makes you understand why Hollywood fell in love with golf here nearly a century ago.
Walking these grounds on Wednesday, watching the world's best women's players size up one of America's most demanding layouts, I was struck by how perfectly suited this championship pairing feels. The U.S. Women's Open demands precision, patience, and an almost spiritual resilience. Riviera demands nothing less.
The Course Awakens
The famous sixth hole—that drivable par-4 with its bunker swallowing the center of the green—is already generating buzz. I watched player after player stand on the tee box, club selection becoming a meditation on risk and reward. Some will go for it this week. Some will regret it. That's Riviera.
The par-3 fourth, with its bunker positioned directly in the putting surface, is another conversation piece. There's simply no course in America that asks these kinds of questions, that presents these kinds of design riddles. George C. Thomas Jr. created a masterpiece here in 1926, and exactly 100 years later, it remains as relevant and challenging as ever.
The Atmosphere Builds
What strikes me most during these practice days is the energy. The galleries are already substantial, following favorite players from hole to hole, settling into the natural hillsides that make Riviera such a spectacular viewing experience. The Los Angeles crowd brings a different flavor than your typical major championship—there's a casualness to it, but don't mistake that for a lack of passion.
The crossover from the Memorial Tournament across the country—that brutal travel schedule that tour photographers and equipment representatives know all too well—hasn't dampened anyone's spirits. If anything, the shift from Ohio to California, from Muirfield Village to Riviera, feels like stepping through a portal into a parallel golf universe.
What to Watch This Week
The conditioning is immaculate. The rough is punishing but fair. The greens are running quick enough to demand attention but not so fast as to become farcical. In short, this is a U.S. Women's Open setup that will reward the best golfers without artificially narrowing the field through setup tricks.
I'll be here all week, walking these storied fairways, watching history unfold. The U.S. Women's Open at Riviera has been anticipated for years, and now it's finally here. The course is ready. The players are ready. And from what I've seen in these early practice rounds, we're in for something special.
Key Takeaways
- Historic venue: Riviera Country Club celebrates its centennial year by hosting its first U.S. Women's Open
- Demanding setup: Early practice rounds suggest a fair but challenging test awaits the field
- Spectacular setting: The Pacific Palisades backdrop and natural amphitheaters promise excellent viewing
- Star-studded field: The world's best have arrived, and the competition begins in earnest