I Played Riviera Before the U.S. Women’s Open; Here’s What Stood Out

I've been beyond fortunate enough to play a couple of U.S. Women's Open venues in my day—the formidable Pebble Beach, Sebonack located right next door to Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, and Plainfield C.C. out in Jersey—but none happened weeks before the main event, and they certainly weren't in USGA Championship conditions (though make no mistake about it, all three were still insanely humbling).

So, when I was asked to preview Riviera last month, ahead of the 81st USWO, you better believe I booked that flight quicker than anything else I've ever done in my life.

If Riv isn't on your golfing bucket list, it needs to be. You don't even feel like you're in the middle of LA, it's its own rolling green oasis that immerses you so deeply, that you forget where you are. It's unbelievably pure—and despite seeing it every February during the Genesis—how it'll be set up for the best female golfers in the world is a whole new experience.

Riviera is the second PGA TOUR stop (the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am) to host the U.S. Women’s Open in the last four years, second behind Pebble Beach in 2023, and it becomes the 17th course to host both the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open.

RELATED: Love Letter To Riviera Country Club

It's important to note, too, that the first women's major of the year, the Chevron Championship, was also contested at a new venue for the women that regularly hosts a TOUR stop at Memorial Park in Texas. That week taught us that what we see each year really does vary for these major weeks, and how the women strategize around them offers up more variation.

And you can expect that same kind of setup this week for the 81st U.S. Women's Open. This is not the Riviera we see every February, and I think this iconic course's debut for the most coveted championship in women's golf will be one for the ages.

I learned quite a bit about Riv when I played it, so here's what to look for as you're watching the action this week!

4th hole

Ben Hogan called this hole, "The greatest par-3 hole in America," and I understand why.

I'm not a masochist, but I do love a long par 3 that gives you plenty of options/possibilities to walk away with a par. We're far too conditioned to believe that every hole is a birdie hole, and I feel like the 4th at Riv is a great example of playing strategic golf.

With a massive bunker guarding the left side, the logical bail out is to the right and there's plenty of reprieve if you tug it a little too far right. I did exactly that, I took a 3-wood with 190 yards to the pin, wind gusting in my face so it was playing more like 210-215 and landed pin high. My lie was pretty flat, so I had plenty of choices, I could've putted it (lord knows the greens were rolling pretty fast), I also had the option to play it a little higher, landing it a few paces on the green and letting it release, but I'm a huge fan of an 8-iron bump and run, so I did just that.

I walked away with a gusty par after leaving myself about 5-feet below the hole.

This week, the 4th will be a masterclass in long iron play and short game...just you wait!

8th hole

This par 4's calling card is its double fairway. Fans rarely see the men take it down the right hand-side, which is a shorter landing zone from the tees, but makes for a longer, more demanding second shot. Playing it up the left is more aggressive, but typically players are more rewarded on the approach.

For the women, length will certainly be a factor on this hole, there's a high likelihood that we'll see more of the moderate hitters take it out to the right this week, meanwhile players like Auston Kim, Julia Lopez Ramirez, and Nelly Korda, who are longer will take their chances and flirt with that left fairway.

I'd be interested to see a graphic of some sort displaying the tee shot dispersion and who hits it where.

10th hole

The 10th is another incredible par 4 that will play very differently each day of this championship. I'm betting that the tournament will wait until the weekend to make it super short and gettable to add some excitement into the mix.

This hole usually plays around 305 yards, and the play is short and left. The fairway is quite narrow and this green complex is on the slope-y side so if a player misses her mark even by a little, it could make for a nightmarish result.

Remember folks—shorter is not synonymous with easier!

RELATED: U.S. Women's Open Qualifying Results

How to Watch

Competition begins this Thursday, June 4 and will be in the prime time TV slot for the east coast!

Thursday USA: 2-7p EST Peacock: 7-10p EST

Friday USA: 2-7p EST Peacock: 7-10p EST

Saturday USA: 5-7p EST NBC/Peacock: 7-10p EST

Sunday Peacock: 3-5p EST NBC/Peacock: 5-8p EST