USWO at Riviera will feature primetime finish, new range tracker

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Amy Alcott stood on the balcony overlooking the first tee at Riviera Country Club and pointed out the bushes where she used to stash her clubs when she’d sneak on after school to shape shots in the practice fairway between the first and second holes.

Hollywood actor Rita Hayworth once told Alcott’s mother on the practice putting green that her daughter was destined to be a star. Riviera member Dean Martin was one of Alcott’s first sponsors.

Now, decades later, the 70-year-old LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member is somewhat of an unofficial host of the 81^st U.S. Women’s Open, the first ever held at Riviera. Alcott, who is a member of nearby Bel-Air Country Club, counts the 1980 U.S. Women’s Open among her five major championship titles.

“One of my original sponsors was Dean Martin.”

The @uswomensopen heads to Riviera for the first time in June. Five-time major winner Amy Alcott grew up next to the club and built her game sneaking on the practice fairway between the first and second holes. This five-minute… pic.twitter.com/b7Aq81gUK6— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 28, 2026

This year’s U.S. Women’s Open will mark the second time the championship will be televised live in primetime on network TV, with the first coming three years ago at Pebble Beach Golf Links. The Pebble Beach edition was the second-most watched USWO, behind Michelle Wie West's 2014 victory on Pinehurst No. 2.

Riviera’s history with LPGA stars is limited but noteworthy. LPGA founder Babe Zaharias earned a spot in the 1945 L.A. Open at Riviera after advancing through a 36-hole qualifier, becoming the first woman to make the cut in a men’s professional event with rounds of 76-81.

In 1952, Zaharias and several other LPGA founders and major champions – Betty Hicks, Beverly Hanson and Helen Dettweiler – appeared in the comedy “Pat and Mike,” which was filmed at Riviera and starred club members Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.

Historical photos of the LPGA's early stars line the walls of the ladies’ locker room.

But never before have the world’s best gathered women gathered for competition at Riviera. They’ll do so this summer, June 4-7, and again in 2028 when the Summer Olympics are held in Los Angeles.

USGA CEO Mike Whan addressed the media on Monday at Riviera and talked about the war bonds that were given out in the 1946 U.S. Women’s Open, when 39 players teed it up in the inaugural match play event won by Patty Berg.

Last year’s record-setting purse at Erin Hills was $12 million, with Sweden's Maja Stark earning $2.4 million.

“I just love the torture of it,” said Stark with a smile of what draws her to this championship.

The defending champ gets a look at Riviera 🤩 pic.twitter.com/GkVU1ivXZM— U.S. Women's Open (@uswomensopen) April 30, 2026

Of the many things that separates the U.S. Women’s Open from every other week of the year on the LPGA, Whan notes, is that there are no responsibilities. No pro-ams. No meet-n-greets.

“This is the one week a year, where these athletes can focus on one thing, and that is whatever it takes to raise the trophy on Sunday,” said Whan.

“It’s funny, when I took this job, Angela Stanford said ‘Well, I guess there’s going to be a pro-am at the U.S. Women’s Open.’ I heard that in the back of my mind, and we haven’t and won’t.”

In recent years the USGA also made a serious commitment to venues, and as Whan rattled off the next 10 venues for the Women’s Open, he noted it could stand up against any event in the world. That impressive site list includes: Inverness (2027), Oakmont (2028), Pinehurst No. 2 (2029), Interlachen (2030), Oakland Hills (2031), LACC (2032), Chicago Golf Club (2033), Merion Golf Club (2034), Pebble Beach (2035) and Shinnecock (2036).

Coverage of this year’s championship will include nearly 100 hours between the main broadcast, featured groups and “Live From” programming.

NBC will feature six hours of weekend coverage, ending at 10 p.m. E.T. and 8 p.m. E.T., on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

There was a moment during @uswomensopen media day at Riviera when Mike Whan listed the next 10 venues for the championship and said you could put it up against any event in the world.

He's right.

2027 Inverness
2028 Oakmont
2029 Pinehurst No. 2
2030 Interlachen
2031 Oakland… pic.twitter.com/3TCVHOlvwl— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 29, 2026

Fans will be able to follow their favorite players with a TikTok-style highlights feed that includes new AI round recaps. The event will make history with a new range tracker feature, similar to what fans enjoy at the Masters. Every shot that’s hit on the range at Riviera will be tracked, offering an unprecedented amount of data.

“We’re here in ’26, the Olympics in ’28, the U.S. Open in ’31,” said Whan of Riviera. "This is going to be, over the next five years, one of the biggest stages in the game.”

A young Alcott probably wouldn’t believe it.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: USWO at Riviera will feature primetime finish, new range tracker