Riviera Is Expected to Be a Goody for the Oldies

Call it “The Assault on Hogan’s Alley.” Summon Lt. Columbo. Let him uncover what occurred in the month of August two years ago at Riviera Country Club.

Or, here’s another idea.

Forget the 1995 PGA Championship, the major tournament that Riviera double-bogeyed to the jeers from players, press, spectators and even club members. Tee it up again.

Riviera officials have chosen the latter course, already beginning preparations for the U.S. Senior Open scheduled to start there one year from today.

This time, they’ve made the wise decision to call on Lt. Columbo in advance, enlisting Peter Falk as the celebrity host for the most prestigious senior tournament.

Right now, the clubhouse looks as rumpled as he usually does. A $7-million renovation project began earlier this month.

As for the course, the notorious trap on the sixth green is getting a trim so that it will more closely resemble the one Ben Hogan had to negotiate.

Otherwise, the greens, the recipients of so many negative comments during the PGA, passed the test of the most recent Nissan Open in February.

“This is a great opportunity for us to bring Riviera back to being a preeminent site for all major championships,” tournament director Bill Knight said this week.

If all goes well, he said Riviera officials believe the U.S. Golf Assn. will consider the course as the site for the other U.S. Open, the one not restricted to players over 50. The next one available is in 2003.

Among players Knight expects to enter the Senior Open are Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Raymond Floyd, Hale Irwin and Johnny Miller.

Unfortunately, Tiger Woods will not be eligible until 2026.

“But we’re hoping maybe his Dad, Earl, will get in shape and qualify,” Knight said. “Tiger could caddie for him.”

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Like fellow politician Ronald Reagan, Councilman Joel Wachs subscribes to the policy, “Trust, but verify.” . . .

That’s prudent when considering the expenditure of $70 million in public funds for a proposed downtown arena. . . .

So Wachs wasn’t too impressed when Jerry Buss wrote a letter to City Council members, guaranteeing the Lakers will play there for at least 25 years. . . .

Now Buss reportedly is offering the council a look at clauses in the lease dealing with the team’s commitment. . . .

Let’s hope he reveals enough to satisfy skeptics such as Wachs and that construction can begin in time for the Lakers and Kings to open their 1999 seasons in the new building. . . .

Ted Turner still questions why Reagan got credit for ending the Cold War. Turner, after all, created the Goodwill Games. . . .

Turner’s next project: A new national anthem. . . .

The current one, he says, is warlike. . . .

Like the tomahawk chop? . . .

If the Cold War hadn’t ended, we wouldn’t have had the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Mir space station or the Peace Missile II Driver. . . .

Advertised as one of the longest hitting golf clubs ever made, it was invented when Cary B. Schuman of Tarzana’s Peace Missile Corp. melted together U.S. and Russian missile parts. . . .

The missiles presumably were disarmed. Still, I wouldn’t get near Jim Furyk when he uses the club, not with his unorthodox swing. . . .

Furyk recently signed a sponsorship with Ruth’s Chris Steak House. I wouldn’t get near him when he uses a knife and fork, either. . . .

It’s time now to end the Ice War. . . .

I’m guessing Disney and the Calgary Flames feel the same way and will reach an agreement soon so that Pierre Page can become the Ducks’ coach. . . .

Meantime, it’s beach weather. Kent Steffes, teaming with Jose Loiola, is favored to win his 101st beach volleyball tournament Friday though Sunday at the Miller Lite U.S. Championships in Hermosa Beach. . . .

Steffes, 29, became the youngest player to reach 100 last weekend. . . .

Oakland Coach Joe Bugel brought four NFL officials to training camp, hoping they can teach the penalty-ridden Raiders to play by the rules. . . .

I’d suggest a SWAT team. But the LAPD’s is occupied, preparing for a trip to the Dodger-Phillie game Sunday with children from Orthopaedic Hospital.

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While wondering if Cal Ripken’s streak will survive this season, I was thinking: He looks shaky, so do the Orioles, the Big A isn’t looking so bad to the Angels after a night in the Big Apple.