Organizers of the Tiger Woods Foundation's Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Genesis Invitational said on Tuesday no spectators will be allowed at the Riviera Country Club next month due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Los Angeles event, operated by the charity foundation of 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, will be played between February 18 and 21.

"The health and well-being of the community, our players and everyone at The Genesis Invitational remains our top priority," tournament director Mike Antolini said.

"Throughout our extensive planning, it became clear that due to the pandemic the best way to ensure the safety for all involved is to hold the tournament without spectators."

Different from Woods' PGA event, the Augusta National Golf Club plans to allow a limited number of spectators to attend the 85th Masters in April despite the pandemic, club's chairman Fred Ridley announced on Tuesday.

Scheduled for April 8-11, the tournament will use health and safety protocols similar to those used last November, when the famed course was closed to supporters as American golfer Dustin Johnson won the green jacket and his second major title.

"Following the successful conduct of the Masters tournament last November with only essential personnel, we are confident in our ability to responsibly invite a limited number of patrons to Augusta National in April," Ridley said.

Pre-tournament testing, temperature checks and required face masks were among the safety measures used last year.

While efforts are being made to safely include a limited number of spectators, Ridley indicated COVID-19 conditions must improve to make the move possible.

"As with the November Masters, we will implement practices and policies that will protect the health and safety of everyone in attendance. Nothing is, or will be, more important than the well-being of all involved," Ridley said.

"While we are disappointed that we will be unable to accommodate a full complement of patrons this year, we will continue our efforts to ensure that all who purchased tickets from Augusta National will have access in 2022, provided conditions improve."

Augusta National is communicating with ticket holders and will issue refunds to those not selected to attend.

Ridley also said the club intends to conduct the Augusta National Women's Amateur and Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals youth events as scheduled before the first official Masters practice round with a small number of patrons allowed at each.

Both were called off last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History-making Masters runner-up Cameron Smith of Australia and 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa of U.S. are excited to see Augusta National's plans for limited spectators at the major showdown in three months.

"We miss the fans out here every week," Smith said on Tuesday. "I feel as though the atmosphere around there was obviously down this year.

"It's such a unique place in that you can hear everything that's going on throughout whole course. I think if we get a few out there, it will definitely make a difference."

Morikawa, a 23-year-old American, captured his first major title last August at Harding Park in San Francisco and hoped the Masters plans might signal a gradual return for fans across all PGA Tour events.

"It's obviously encouraging," Morikawa said. "I think all these tournaments are going to start bringing fans back, whether it's limited capacity or a certain amount per day."

"We're always going to follow the right rules. PGA Tour has built a system, and I'm sure the Masters have built a system right now with everyone else to make sure this doesn't get out of hand," he said.

"We still need to watch ourselves on what we do and where we're going to be going, but for the most part, slowly to start seeing fans. It's going to be really exciting."

(With input from AFP)