Temporary Greens

Nick Faldo won’t be back at Riviera Country Club to defend his 1997 Nissan Open championship.

That’s because he will be at Valencia Country Club, which becomes the 11th course to play host to the Los Angeles stop on the PGA Tour.

The $2.1-million tournament has moved for one year from Pacific Palisades to Valencia, which is only a good three-wood from Magic Mountain. That’s because the U.S. Senior Open is being held at Riviera this summer.

However, Valencia, which will about 7,000 yards and was a site for U.S. Open qualifying in 1993 and 1995, has drawn a strong field headed by Faldo, Tiger Woods and Tom Lehman.

The Robert Trent Jones Sr. course has tight fairways, fast greens (if they aren’t slowed down too much by recent rains) and some excellent finishing holes. With par-fives as two of the last four holes, there could be some dramatic shots in the final round.

And just to make sure the pros don’t feel too homesick for Riviera, the 18th hole features an uphill, blind tee shot. That should be right up their alley.

No. 15, par 5, 529 yards

Of no. 15, Tiger Woods says, “You’ve got 259 yards to carry the right bunker. If the wind blows the right way, if you hit a good drive, i elaves you a two-iron or three-iron into the green.”

No. 16, Par 3, 202 yards

Woods: “If it plays into the wind, like it was when I played a practice round Tuesday, I hit four-iron. Usually it’s a nice six-iron.”

No. 17, Par 4, 466 yards

Woods: “Great hold, straight away, a driver and a five-iron hold. Nice par four.”

No. 18, Par 5, 566 yards

Woods: “It’s pretty hard to get up on top of the hill. My ball was on the upslope in my practice round Tuesday, but you have to be on top of the hill if you want any chance of getting there in two, which would give me a three-wood second shot.”

OUT

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Hole Distance (yards) Par 1 540 5 2 400 4 3 180 3 4 422 4 5 367 4 6 427 4 7 185 3 8 369 4 9 460 4 3350 35

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IN

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Hole Distance (yards) Par 10 470 4 11 400 4 12 387 4 13 386 4 14 211 3 15 529 5 16 202 3 17 466 4 18 566 5 3,617 36 Total 6,967 71

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