Things could get rough, so pros should get ready

It still measures 7,279 yards, giant eucalyptus trees line the fairways as usual, yawning barrancas lie in wait, there’s not a drop of water trouble to be found, and Riviera Country Club is open for business.

Although this is the 68th edition of the tournament, this is the first year it has been known as the Northern Trust Open, and the primary question right now is what’s up with the rough?

It’s not up enough yet, the result of last week’s cold spell that has kept the springy kikuyu from growing into its normal gnarly state.

However, according to course superintendent Matt Morton, the rough should hit 2 1/2 inches easily, maybe more.

“It’s perking up and it’s definitely going to be higher than last year,” he said.

Missing the fairway -- and the green -- could present problems. Morton said 2 1/2 inches of kikuyu rough equals about four inches of rye grass rough in terms of severity.

Pros this week will notice new pin positions on the two par-fives on the back -- at the 564-yard 11th and the 590-yard 17th. The 11th green has been extended on the right side to allow for potential pins on the front right and back right. At the 17th, the green was extended slightly to make new pins possible on the back left and back right.

In another potentially significant twist, Mark Russell, the PGA Tour’s tournament director, said the tour is considering playing the par-four 18th hole all the way back. It would measure 475 yards, with the usual uphill, blind tee shot and a slight dogleg right.

Morton said Dennis Leger, a consultant and an agronomist for the PGA Tour for 28 years, said Riviera’s greens are the best he has seen.

Tom Pulchinski, the tournament director, said a steady diet of sunshine should fluff up the rough.

“The course has really greened up because of the rain, but now, everything has dried out. We’re expecting absolutely perfect conditions.”

Adding to Pulchinski’s optimism, the long-range forecast calls for good weather.

Pulchinski said he wouldn’t be surprised if the winning score was single digits under par. Charles Howell III won last year’s tournament at 16-under 268, beating Phil Mickelson in a playoff.

Mike Weir’s nine-under score in 2003 was the last time the winner was fewer than 10 strokes under par.

The field is loaded, with 17 players ranked in the top 20 in the field of 144 competing for a tournament-record purse of $6.2 million, with $1.116 million going to the winner.

Mickelson, ranked second, is the highest-ranked player on hand. Neither top-ranked Tiger Woods nor fourth-ranked Ernie Els will play.

Michael Yamaki, Riviera’s chief corporate officer, said the course’s link to history remains a strong draw.

“Augusta and Riviera, you probably ask players what two places you would choose if you could only play two courses, those are the ones,” he said. “One of the differences between our course and others, the young players and the older ones, they go into the locker room and see the names of all the players who won.

“Hogan and Nelson and Snead and Palmer and Watson and all the rest of them, these players now want to try to beat their scores. That’s the essence of Riviera. All their childhood heroes have played and won here.”

thomas.bonk@latimes.com