The par-3 4th hole at Riviera Country Club, long hailed as one of golf’s iconic short holes and once called “the greatest par 3 in America” by Ben Hogan, has drawn sharp criticism from top PGA Tour players ahead of the 2026 Genesis Invitational.

The hole has been significantly lengthened to 273 yards — over 40 yards longer than its previous setup of around 230 yards — making it one of the longest par-3s on the PGA Tour. The change aims to counter modern player distances and add challenge to the classic George Thomas-designed Redan-style hole.

However, Rory McIlroy was blunt in his assessment. “I actually think it’s a horrible change,” he said, pointing out that even at its shorter 230-yard length in 2024 (the last time the event was held at Riviera, due to prior wildfires shifting it to Torrey Pines), only about 15% of the field hit the green. The hole played as the third-toughest on the course, going 49-over par for the week with just 11 birdies.

McIlroy argued the extension doesn’t work with the existing design. “If you want it to be a 275-yard par-3, you have to change the apron leading up onto the green. It can’t be kikuyu (type of turf), it has to be another type of grass that can help you run it onto the green,” said the Grand Slam winner.

“In the right conditions, you try to fly that ball on the green with a 3-iron, it’s going to land, it’s going to finish up on the fifth tee box. That’s sort of what I mean by why it’s not a great change.”

Jordan Spieth echoed the sentiment, calling it “the only weak spot on the course… in my opinion.”

Last week’s winner at Pebble Beach, Collin Morikawa, added that the soft conditions limit control, forcing many players to aim left and chip uphill, while longer clubs like 3-wood increase dispersion and bring hazards like the left cart path into play. “It’ll be very interesting. I think it’s just a very long par 3. There’s not a lot of thought to it other than just kind of hoping to hit the green and move on, unfortunately,” he said.

Reigning U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun demonstrated a successful 3-wood approach in practice, but noted it was low-pressure on Wednesday. “It didn’t matter really today,” he said. “It starts to matter on Thursday.”

The criticism highlights a debate over balancing course evolution with preserving classic architecture at the historic venue, as the Genesis Invitational tees off this week with a stacked field.

Players’ full reactions will likely emerge once competition begins.