PGA Tour Brunch | The AMEX
PGA Tour Brunch Second Coverage of the 2026 American Express
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
LaQUINTA - Min Woo Lee (T1/-10) set his career-best 18-hole score with a 10-under (62) on the Nicklaus Tournament Course in his 69th career start. His previous best:, a (63), two times, came at R1/2025 Rocket Classic/finished T13, R3/2025 Texas Children’s Houston Open/Won.
He holds first career 18-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR (previous best 18-hole position: T3/2025 Rocket Classic/finished T13) as he’s making his first start of the 2026 season and second career start in The American Express (T21/2024).
Pierceson Coody (T1/-10) is in the midst of his 55th PGA TOUR start, and he opened with a bogey-free (62), the second-lowest 18-hole score of his career. His best 18-hole score was a (61), R1/2024 ISCO Championship/finished T2.
Coody recorded a back-nine (29) that included seven consecutive birdies on Nos. 11-17, setting his career-best birdie streak on TOUR.
AMEX Leaderboard | After 18 Holes
T1 Min Woo Lee 62 (-10) NT
Pierceson Coody 62 (-10) NT
T3 Vince Whaley 63 (-9) NT
Si Woo Kim 63 (-9) NT
Scottie Scheffler 63 (-9) LQ
S.H. Kim 63 (-9) LQ
Robert MacIntyre 63 (-9) NT
Matt McCarty 63 (-9) LQ
Jason Day 63 (-9) SC
Patrick Cantlay 63 (-9) NT
Ben Griffin 63 (-9) NT
Format Reminder from Yesterday:
Competitors rotate the first three rounds between PGA West’s Pete Dye Stadium Course, the Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club
Each professional will be grouped with amateurs for the first three rounds before the low 65 professionals (and ties) will play their final round at the Stadium Course at PGA West.
The courses:
PGA WEST PETE DYE STADIUM COURSE: Par/Yards: 36-36—72/7,210
PGA WEST NICKLAUS TOURNAMENT COURSE: Par/Yards: 36-36—72/7,147
LA QUINTA COUNTRY CLUB: Par/Yards: 36-36—72/7,060
The American Express | Tournament Facts
COURSES: PGA WEST (Pete Dye Stadium Course, Nicklaus Tournament Course; and La Quinta CC).
YARDS/PAR: 7,210 yards/Par 72 (Pete Dye Stadium)
ARCHITECT: Pete Dye
PRIZE Money - Purse: $9,200,000/$1,656,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Sepp Straka
OVERVIEW: (PGATourCom)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @theamexgolf
How to Watch the 2026 American Express
Friday, January 23, 2026 - (All Times Eastern)
11:30am to 7:00pm (ET) - Streaming on ESPN+
1:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) - PGA Tour Radio (Sirius XM 92/Online at PGATour.com)
4:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) - Golf Channel
The American Express | The Basics
The Tee Times at The AMEX will begin at 11:30am (ET) and go until 1:42pm (ET).
Weather: Friday’s forecast is for mostly sunny skies with winds at 3 mph. Temperature reaching 72 degrees and a 0% chance of rain.
Tournament Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 11am (ET) on Saturday, January 24.
AMEX Field and Tee Times:
The Field: (link)
Tee Times: (link)
What They’re Saying
Min Woo Lee, Coody Lead at AMEX (PGATourCom)
CBS Sports Golf HQ (CBSSportsCom)
How to Watch The American Express on Friday (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History
January 23, 1977 - Tom Watson won for the first time at Pebble Beach, shooting a final-round (71) to win the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, one shot better than runner-up Tony Jacklin. Watson would go on to win at Pebble Beach in 1978 as well. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt
Next Up - Farmer’s Insurance Open | Torrey Pines
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