The $6.7 million Northern Trust Open begins today, with a new upscale lounge and plans for a Saturday concert by the alternative rock band O.A.R. intended to lure fans to The Riviera Country Club.
The Green Room combines open-air seating with exclusive culinary and entertainment options.
“Food is everything to Angelenos, so we wanted to give our guests a new yet authentic L.A. experience,” said Northern Trust Open Executive Director O.D. Vincent.
A different restaurant or caterer will provide three to four items in The Green Room each day — Baby Blues BBQ today, The Roost at LA Farm Friday, Fill R Up Gastro Garage Saturday and The Prince & Pantry Sunday.
The Green Room is located between the 10th hole and practice area.
O.A.R. is scheduled to play from 3:45-5 p.m. Saturday on The Riviera Country Club’s driving range. Fans purchasing a clubhouse or grounds ticket for Saturday’s play will be admitted free to the O.A.R. concert.
All active duty, reserve, military retirees, non-retired veterans and their dependents will be admitted free of charge by presenting valid military identification. They will also receive access to the Patriots’ Outpost, a private hospitality area specifically for military personnel.
The tournament has changed its parking arrangements. Free parking today and Friday will be at Will Rodgers Beach Parking Lot 3, with complementary round-trip shuttle service to and from The Riviera Country Club.
Parking Saturday will be at the Water Garden at 1620 26th St. in Santa Monica. There is a $5 per person fee for round-trip shuttle service to and from The Riviera Country Club. Military personnel and their families with a tournament ticket and children under 18 accompanied by an adult are not required to pay for the shuttle.
There is no additional parking lot entry fee
The online sports betting site Bodog has made defending champion Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth the co-favorites at 12-1, with Jimmy Walker the next choice at 16-1.
Watson and Johnson will play in the same threesome today and Friday along with Bill Haas, who won last month’s Humana Challenge.
The field includes 11 of the top 30 players in the Official World Golf Ranking and 20 of the top 50. Watson, who is ranked third, is the highest- ranked player in the tournament.
The winner will receive $1.206 million.
