Where Will the PGA Tour Land? Indio Trip Raises Questions Amid SoCal Fires

By now, everyone knows—there will be no PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club next month. The devastating wildfires sweeping through Southern California have made it impossible to host a world-class tournament there. Smoke-filled skies, dangerous air quality, and an ever-present risk of evacuations left officials with no choice but to move on.

But where exactly is the Tour moving to? That part remains a mystery.

A Curious Trip to Indio

Over the past few days, speculation has been swirling about a potential new home for the tournament, and an interesting piece of evidence has only added fuel to the fire (no pun intended). The PGA Tour’s private jet—tail number #N795HG—was spotted taking a two-night trip to Indio, California.

Now, Indio isn’t exactly a random dot on the map. It’s home to some pristine desert golf courses, plenty of resort space, and (most importantly) a safer distance from the chaos unfolding in Los Angeles. Could this be a sign that the Tour is eyeing the Coachella Valley as a temporary venue?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Just a Coincidence?

Of course, private jets move around all the time. This could have been a routine trip, an unrelated meeting, or something else entirely. After all, Indio isn’t the only location in the running. There are a handful of other potential courses that could step up and host on short notice.

But the timing is... interesting. A high-profile, last-minute venue change needs careful planning, and you can bet that if Indio is in the mix, decision-makers would want to see it in person before making the call.

So Where Will the Tour Go?

As of now, the PGA Tour hasn’t confirmed anything. But the fact remains—Indio is far enough from the fires, has championship-level golf, and is a known hotspot for big events (hello, Coachella). It certainly checks a lot of boxes. But is there a championship-level golf course there?

If that’s not the destination, then where? Other possible locations have been floated, but no official word has come down yet. For now, all we can do is watch, wait, and follow the flight paths. At the time of writing, the airplane is making its way towards Phoenix, AZ out of Steamboat, CO. Maybe the tournament could take place in Arizona instead of California. These are all obviously speculations.

One thing’s for sure: Riviera is out. And wherever this tournament lands, it’ll be one of the biggest stories of the season.

Stay tuned.