Five Reasons to go to the Northern Trust Open

Five reasons to go to the Northern Trust Open

Maybe I’m just in golf-mode; the Northern Trust Open (formerly the Nissan Open and still called the LA Open) this weekend at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades will be my third golf tournament I’ve covered this year (I’ve already done the Buick Invitational in Torrey Pines and the AT&T National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach).

And I know what most of you are thinking: It’s golf — it’s slow, it’s boring, it’s uneventful and unexciting. That, and Tiger isn’t playing. But that leads me to my first reason…

Reason No. 1: Tiger isn’t playing
The No. 2 player in the world, Phil Mickelson, almost won last year but played horrible in Pebble last week, missing the cut at the event he won in 2007; Vijay Singh made a good come-from-behind effort in Pebble last week but dropped a large lead and a playoff; most of the top international players will tee it up at Riviera — it’s anyone’s ball game now. British Open Champ, Irishman Padraig Harrington, will be there, and Paddy has had little trouble conquering Hogan’s Alley in the past.

Come on, you know it’s much more exciting when you don’t know who is going to win.

Reason No. 2: John Daly will be there
Move over Britney Spears — you wont be the only trainwreck in Hollywood this week. Big John, known for heavy gambling, heavy boozing, heavy smoking, heavy marrying and being just plain heavy usually does well at Riviera, finishing T22 in ’07. Daly will always put on a show, and regularly draws fans like Kid Rock in his galleries. Plus, he’s a great multi-tasker: Who else can yell at one of the many ex-wives on a cell phone, drink a beer, smoke a cigarette and putt at the same time?

If Daly doesn’t end up making the cut, you may be able to find him out in Pechanga and get some gambling tips.

Reason No. 3: John Mallinger
Former 49er golfer John Mallinger wins the comeback of the year award — and it’s only February. Mallinger picked up his second third place finish at Pebble Beach in as many years Sunday, but it was the way he did it that you don’t exactly see every day. After finishing in second in the first round, Mallinger then struggled through rounds two and three, starting Sunday tied for 37th. But a 7-under day on one of the toughest courses pulled him all the way up to a T3 finish.

Mallinger had quite a party following him at Pebble, and I’m sure that party will nearly double with a tournament in Los Angeles. Why not join the party?

Reason No. 4: The 19th hole
Michelob Ultra isn’t exactly the best beer, but it’s an entire extra “hole” set up specifically for one’s drinking pleasure. Now tell me golf is unexciting? And you never know who you’ll run into there.

Last week at Pebble Beach, the usual amateur roster of CEO’s was cut drastically in favor of actors, currently with a lot of time on their hands to fill due to the writers strike. James Denton, who plays Mike on Desperate Housewives, made a surprise appearance with his band at a Dockers party in Spanish Bay. Why did they drive all the way up to the Monterey Peninsula to play for one night?

“I’m out of work right now,” Denton said. “What else do I have to do?”

Reason No. 5: It’s Riviera Country Club
It’s historic; it’s beautiful and it’s Hollywood without the paparazzi. Members of the Rat Pack used to be members of the club, movies were filmed there and the polo matches in the 1934 Olympics were played there. It’s old Hollywood glamour from the minute you step on the beautifully manicured bent grass greens.