Northern Trust Is Numbers Game

It's Northern Trust Open week again at Riviera Country Club and play will officially begin Thursday. One of the oldest and most prestigious stops on the PGA Tour, the Los Angeles event has had its share of historic moments, memorable shots and record-breaking performances. Here are 18 holes' worth of facts and figures about the tournament:

1. Left Empty-handed

Since the LA Open began in 1926, only two left-handed players have won, but both were back-to-back champions: Mike Weir in 2003-04 and Phil Mickelson in 2008-09.

2. Taming the Greats

Two of the greatest players of all time--Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods--have combined for zero wins at the tournament. The Golden Bear finished second to Gil Morgan in 1978. Woods was runner-up to Billy Mayfair in a playoff in 1998 at Valencia Country Club and finished in a three-way tie for second the next year at Riviera.

3. Course Masters

The tournament course record of 61 was set by George Archer at Rancho Municipal Golf Course in 1983 and equaled by Ted Tryba at Riviera in 1991.

4. All-Time Low

The tournament scoring record of 264 was set in 1985 by Lanny Wadkins, who carded rounds of 63, 70, 67 and 64 for a four-day total of 20 under par at Riviera.

5. One-Hole Wonders

There have been 34 holes-in-one at the Northern Trust Open since the stat was first kept in 1979, the most recent being Dustin Johnson's ace on the sixth hole last year.

6. Riviera Repeats

Seven players have won in back-to-back years: Macdonald Smith (1928-29), Ben Hogan (1947-48), Paul Harney (1964-65), Arnold Palmer (1966-67), Corey Pavin (1994-95), Mike Weir (2003-04) and Phil Mickelson (2008-09).

7. Par for the Course

Ten courses have hosted the event: Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles County Club, El Caballero Country Club, Wilshire Country Club, Hillcrest Country Club, Griffith Park (Wilson), Griffith Park (Harding), Inglewood Country Club, Rancho Municipal Golf Course and Valencia Country Club.

8. 'Fore' for Four

The most career victories in the Northern Trust Open is four, first achieved by Macdonald Smith (1928-29, 1932 and 1934) and matched by Lloyd Mangrum (1949, 1951, 1953 and 1956).

9. Name Games

Over the years the tournament has had six official titles. It was called the Los Angeles Open from 1926-70 and again from 1984-86; the Glen Campbell Los Angeles Open from 1971-83; the Los Angeles Open Presented by Nissan from 1987-88; the Nissan Los Angeles Open from 1989-94; the Nissan Open from 1995-2007 and the Northern Trust Open from 2008-present.

10. Overtime Pay

There have been 16 playoffs in tournament history, the most recent in 2007 when Charles Howell III sank a three-foot par putt on the third extra hole to beat Phil Mickelson.

11. Ladies First

In the 1938 LA Open, Babe Didrikson Zaharias became the first woman ever to play in a men's professional golf tournament.

12. Money Talks

When Harry Cooper won the inaugural event in 1926, he earned $3,500. Last year's winner Steve Stricker pocketed $1.152 million.

13. Listen Up!

In 1929, the LA Open was the first golf tournament to be broadcast on radio.

14. Hogan's Alley

Ben Hogan won both the U.S. Open and the LA Open at Riviera in 1948 and won the three LA Opens in all. The course has since been referred to as "Hogan's Alley"

15. Breaking Barriers

In 1952, former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis became the first African-American to compete in a PGA-sanctioned tournament when he played the LA Open that year at Riviera. Fellow American Charlie Sifford became the first African-American to win the event in 1969.

16. Humble Beginnings

Jack Nicklaus made his pro debut came in the 1962 LA Open. Thirty years later, 16-year-old Tiger Woods played in his first PGA Tour event at the 1992 Nissan Open.

17. Rain, Rain, Go Away

In 2005, heavy rain forced the tournament to be shortened to 36 holes for the first time in its history. Adam Scott beat Chad Campbell on the first hole of sudden-death for the "unofficial" victory.  Weather also reduced the 1993 tournament to 54 holes in 1993 when Tom Kite won.

18. No Place Like Home

Only 10 foreign players have ever won the tournament: Bobby Cruickshank, Macdonald Smith and Jimmy Thomson of Scotland, T.C. Chen of Taiwan, Nick Faldo of England, Ernie Els and Rory Sabbatini of South Africa, Robert Allenby and Adam Scott of Australia and Mike Weir of Canada.