Jerry West was the man who brought Kobe Bryant to the Lakers.
Now he’s charged with bringing Tiger Woods back to Riviera Country Club. West is coming out of retirement and has a new gig with the PGA Tour as the Northern Trust Open’s new executive director, the tour announced via news release Thursday. West built the Lakers dynasty in the 1980s and won seven championships as general manager. Afterward, he became the Memphis Grizzlies’ general manager in 2002, citing the need for a new challenge. Now, “Mr. Clutch” will try to revamp a professional golf tournament. The small-town kid from West Virginia surely never could’ve envisioned this. “This is the beginning of something very special for not only me but more importantly for the Northern Trust Open and the community of Los Angeles,” West said in a release. “My involvement with the Northern Trust Open is my way of giving back to the city that has given me so much. For more than 40 years, I have taken all of the love that Los Angeles has offered me. This is my chance to do something for the community that has been so great to me.” West worked magic with Kareem and Magic. Now, he’ll be working with Phil and Tiger.
He’s not overhauling the event’s image since it has been a regular stop on the tour since 1926. The tournament – formerly the Los Angeles Open – is home to West.