2026 is shaping up to be a bonanza year for fans of the game in Southern California.

ON THE FIRST SUNDAY OF JUNE this year, while standing in the grassy amphitheater of The Riviera CC’s famed 18th hole, a golfer will raise a trophy in the evening summer light and be forever linked to none other than Ben Hogan. It was on those grounds in 1948, below the Spanish revival clubhouse, that one of the game’s all-time greats captured his first USGA championship in the first of two U.S. Opens ever staged in Los Angeles.

Riviera is called “Hogan’s Alley” for good reason — the U.S. Open victory was the Texan’s third there in a mere 18-month span that included two L.A. Open titles.

Why does that matter 78 years later? Because, for the first time, the U.S. Women’s Open will be played at Riviera, and one of the best female golfers in the world will get to relish a triumph on one of America’s most storied courses.

It could be American star Nelly Korda. Or the Thai sensation who’s No. 1 in the world, Jeeno Thitikul. Or reigning LPGA Rookie of the Year, Miyū Yamashita, who no doubt has the keen interest of Riviera’s longtime Japanese owners, the Watanabe family. Or maybe it will be one of more than two dozen golfers who won titles in the LPGA’s greatest season of parity in 2025.

Just as women’s golf fans and players have celebrated more experiences of late at vaunted venues such as Pebble Beach GL, Oakmont CC and The Olympic Club, Riviera offers the opportunity to create a memorable, one-of-a-kind championship. “Just being in Los Angeles, I think there’s the chance to shine a brighter spotlight on women’s golf. I think it’s going to be amazing,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s chief championships officer. “L.A. is the entertainment capital of the world; there’s Hollywood, the culture, the food, the beach. And there’s nothing quite like being on the West Coast when we’ll be playing a little closer to prime time (in the East).”

This is a landmark year for Riviera. The club celebrates its 100th anniversary and welcomes home the PGA Tour’s signature The Genesis Invitational, which had to be moved last February to Torrey Pines GC because of the Los Angeles wildfires and the devastation of nearby Pacific Palisades.

Bodenhamer received constant updates on the fire from friends and Riviera members at a time when no one knew if the flames would reach the club. “It was surreal,” he said. The immediate neighborhood was ultimately spared, but hearts went out to those all over Los Angeles who lost their homes and businesses, and Bodenhamer hopes that the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally will be a “rallying point for the community.”

Among the ways the USGA will recognize fans is providing free admission to first responders, juniors and members of the military.

The U.S. Women’s Open is the major championship centerpiece of golf in Southern California in 2026, but there is truly no other place in the country that can boast as many significant tournaments. Try 11, to be exact. In a seven-month span beginning in January, there are three PGA Tour events, LPGA and PGA Tour Champions tournaments, the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Championships, the Curtis Cup and SCGA Amateur Championships.

It feels like choosing your favorite flavor at Baskin-Robbins, but for those of us who have experienced each of these events on the ground, we can genuinely vouch for every one of them as a unique and worthwhile walk, whether you’re looking to see the game’s current greats or stars of the future.

Put more bluntly: If you’re an avid golf watcher, you’re missing out if you don’t put a few of these events on the calendar and get out there. So, let’s break out the red Sharpie, circle some dates and present the highlights for each.

THE AMERICAN EXPRESS (Jan. 22-25, La Quinta)

Admit it. If you went to the “Hope” in the past, it was more to see the celebs than the competition. That opportunity is no more because of the ability of the tournament to raise more charity dollars through corporate participation. But there’s still plenty of entertainment with the Friday and Saturday night concerts — this year it’s the country group Old Dominion and pop band, OneRepublic — and you can’t scoff at the quality of the golf field after some lean years. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Jason Day and Patrick Cantlay have all bought into the near-perfect conditions that produce birdies galore. For fans, there’s much to ponder at the PGA WEST Stadium Course’s diabolical challenges, and La Quinta CC is likely the most intimate experience with players on tour. LQCC is so nostalgic — the “Hope” was first played there in 1960 — that you half expect to see the ghosts of Bob Hope and his boys yukking it up and smoking their cee-gars.

FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN (Jan. 29-Feb. 1, San Diego)

This is the 58th year of the Tour playing on the cliffs of La Jolla — a genius move originally orchestrated by SoCal Golf Hall of Fame member member Steve Horrell and his band of prominent San Diego businessmen. Sadly, gone are the days when Tiger Woods graced one of his all-time favorite tracks, but Torrey Pines GC, appropriately with its two stagings of the U.S. Open, annually delivers the conditions of an early season major, as well as some of the greatest drone shots of the year. Pro tip: On a benign and sunny tournament day, a stroll out to the early holes on the front nine is a must before settling in for some cocktails at any number of spots down the home stretch. Be sure to grab an early place along the ropes at 18, because few courses on the tour produce more high drama than this par 5.

THE GENESIS INVITATIONAL (Feb. 19-22, Pacific Palisades)

This should feel like a homecoming for one of the most recognizable events on Tour, and the fires will (or should) remain a significant backdrop. As Southern Californians know, fire trauma can last for years, and for thousands of families the struggle to rebuild is only getting started. Hopefully, The Genesis provides some recognition of that while also being a respite. The tournament’s history is as long as a CVS receipt, and the contention here is that beyond Augusta National GC, there is no spectator walk better than Riviera. Because the front and back nines are intertwined, the ability to jump around is fantastic, and the twists and turns of the routing among the towering eucalyptus trees is genius. As for the tournament field, it is second to none among SoCal events. The $20 million purse helps and the last five winners at Riviera are all A-listers: Hideki Matsuyama, Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, Max Homa and Adam Scott.

HOAG CLASSIC (March 27-29, Newport Beach)

This could be a day-trip double-dipper. The PGA Tour Champions has been holding this tournament since 1995, and it’s fair to say that playing Newport Beach CC is among the highlights of the year for the 50-and-over set. If you pine to see Fred Couples’ sweet swing or marvel at ageless wonder Bernhard Langer, this is your spot. The players are highly accessible and the course is easily walkable. When the golf is over, the night is young, and the options include a stroll on Balboa Island or dinner and shopping at Fashion Island. Believe us when we say it’s all soooo Orange County.

JM EAGLE LA CHAMPIONSHIP (April 16-19, Tarzana)

With Wilshire CC undergoing renovations, El Caballero CC in the San Fernando Valley stepped up to host last year, and the LPGA’s lone regular-season event in L.A. is back for a second run. This was a fantastic site to get close to the players as they practiced, and the 69-year-old layout (designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and renovated by his son Rees Jones in 2021) is a pristine, hilly challenge. Former World Amateur No. 1 Ingrid Lindblad did just fine in ’25, shooting 21-under for her first LPGA title.

NCAA DIVISION I GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP (Women, May 22-27; Men May 29- June 3; Carlsbad)

This is probably the sleeper in the entire group. There isn’t another opportunity to better see the rising stars of golf than at the NCAAs, and for the third straight year they are set for the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. Coaches continue to push for La Costa to be the permanent site, and what’s not to like? The North Course is top notch after a full reworking by architect-of-the-moment Gil Hanse, and the competitive tension is off the charts when the teams reach the match-play portion. With no ropes and the ability to walk behind groups in the fairway, the spectating is fantastic.

U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN PRESENTED BY ALLY (June 4-7, Pacific Palisades)

A little background on how Riviera was chosen for the U.S. Women’s Open: The Watanabe family has long sought a return of the USGA to Riviera, which last hosted a national championship with the U.S. Amateur in 2017. (The only other USGA event beyond the ’48 U.S. Open was the 1998 U.S. Senior Amateur, won by Hale Irwin). A USGA return seemed long overdue. But thought to be problematic in the modern major era was Riviera’s small footprint among ever-expanding corporate “cities” built on the venues.

The USGA, however, has found some solutions to that at coveted sites such as Merion and The Los Angeles CC, building hospitality up several stories instead of spreading out while limiting total capacity, and that brought them back to the table with Riviera.

As the USGA engaged in talks with the club and its CEO, Megan Watanabe, Bodenhamer said a package deal was discussed. Would Riviera consider adding the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open to its plate while securing the 2031 U.S. Open?

“Not only did (Watanabe) say they would do it, she said they couldn’t be more honored and excited,” Bodenhamer said. “The women’s game is very important to her. It’s just been a really good synergy.”

Just as it was when the women’s championship was played in 2023 at Pebble Beach, the opportunity to watch the best players in the world compete on such a renowned West Coast site is truly something special. What will the nerves be like when they stand on the one-of-a-kind elevated first tee mere steps from the clubhouse door? How will they manage one of the most fascinating par 4s in the world, Riviera’s 10th? And will the championship come down to that famous uphill tee shot at 18 and a putt at arguably the greatest closing spot for fans and viewers that doesn’t need a grandstand?

Bodenhamer has said many times, “It’s important where players win their U.S. Open, men and women.”

So true, and in that regard, this year’s champion will stand with Mr. Hogan and eight decades of men whose victories at Riviera have been counted among their greatest achievements.

CURTIS CUP (June 12-14, Los Angeles)

The USGA sure made this logistically sweet. Only a week after the U.S. Women’s Open, the Curtis Cup will be played at another iconic Los Angeles site, Bel-Air CC. The women’s version of the Walker Cup pits America’s top amateurs against Great Britain & Ireland. College stars abound for both sides, and the U.S. will be trying to win back the Cup after GB&I prevailed at Sunningdale GC (England) in 2024. Bel-Air is certainly worth getting through some Westside traffic, thanks to its stunning Swinging Bridge and some of the best holes that George C. Thomas designed.

SCGA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS (July 6-9, Valencia)

Sure, these championships are mostly attended by family and hard-core golf types, but their place as the SCGA’s crown jewels is unquestioned. As one of the oldest association-held amateurs in the country, the men will compete for the 127th time, while the women play in the 12th edition. Maybe go to this one for nostalgia. The venue is Valencia CC — most famous for Billy Mayfair making birdie at the 18th hole twice in the 1998 Nissan Open to give Tiger Woods his only PGA Tour playoff loss.