Riviera Has a New President and Big Events Headed Its Way
By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Megan Watanabe first showed up at Riviera when her family bought the club in 1989. She took golf lessons and tennis lessons in the summer, left Japan to attend middle school and eventually went to Pepperdine to study art.
She never imagined where it would lead.
Watanabe is the first woman to be president of the fabled club. And while Riviera already is regarded as among the best courses on the PGA Tour, it’s about to get a lot more traffic.
Riviera celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026 by hosting the U.S. Women’s Open, its first women’s championship. Golf has been confirmed for the Olympics program for Los Angeles in 2028 and will be played at Riviera.
“We’ve always sought majors,” said Watanabe...