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First Round Preview of 2023 The American Express | LaQuinta

@TerryLyons
Jan 19
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By TERRY LYONS

LA QUINTA - The American Express is the first PGA Tour event to be held in the “lower 48” for 2023. It will feature 2018 American Express champion Jon Rahm who is making his first start since winning the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions early .

Expect a tight leaderboard this week since The American Express became a 72-hole event in 2012, the winner's margin of victory has not been more than two strokes in any year. In that span, there have been three playoffs, four one-stroke wins and four two-stroke victories. Last season, Hudson Swafford won by two strokes over Tom Hoge. The most recent playoff was in 2018 (Jon Rahm def. Andrew Landry).

Patrick Cantlay is making his fifth start at The American Express and has three consecutive top-10s (T9/2019, DNP/2020, 2nd/2021, 9th/2022; missed the cut in 2013 competing on a sponsor exemption). Since joining the PGA Tour at the start of the 2013-14 season, Cantlay leads all players with a minimum of five rounds at The American Express in Scoring Average (67.17) and birdies per round (6.17).

Xander Schauffele is making his first start since withdrawing from the Sentry Tournament of Champions due to a back injury. Schauffele has not competed in The American Express since his rookie season (MC/2017). He also played on a sponsor exemption in 2016 (MC).

Will Zalatoris finished T6 in his tournament debut at The American Express in 2022, tying his career-low score on Tour with a second-round (61). Zalatoris, who was not able to compete during the fall portion of the schedule due to a back injury, is making his second start of the season (T11/Sentry Tournament of Champions).

American Express ambassador Tony Finau has three wins and six top-10s in his last eight starts (wins: 2022 3M Open, 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic, 2022 Cadence Bank Houston Open). Finau has one Top-10 in five prior starts at the event (4th/2021).

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The American Express | Tournament Facts

COURSES: PGA WEST (Pete Dye SC, Nicklaus TC, La Quinta CC)

YARDS/PAR: 7,060 yards/Par 72

ARCHITECT: Lawrence Hughes

PRIZE Money - Purse: $8,000,000/$1,440,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Hudson Swafford

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @theamexgolf


TV COVERAGE: All four rounds (Jan 19 to 22) of The American Express are scheduled for TV coverage from 3:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel.

PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING: ESPN+ will be streaming live coverage from 11:30 to 7:000pm (ET) all weekend, today through Sunday.

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live coverage of The AMEX beginning at 1:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) today. On Saturday and Sunday, coverage will air 2:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) (or completion of event). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom

How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)


The American Express | The Basics

The Tee Times at The AMEX run from 11:00pm (ET) to 1:42pm (ET).

Weather: Nearly identical day-by-day forecasts for the four-day tournament - Temperatures will start in the high 40s to low 50s but will rise to be 54-to-62 degrees with sunny skies throughout the days. Zero-percent chance of rain. Low humidity and 8 mph winds, max.

Tournament Web Site: (link)

FedEx Cup Info: (link)

PGA Tour Brunch will post at 11:00am (ET) Friday


AMEX Field and Tee Times:

The Field: (link)

Saturday

Chad Ramey WD

Sunday

Chris Stroud WD

Kevin Chappell (IN/KFT Sponsor)

Wesley Bryan (IN/Sponsor-Qualifying Tournament)

Aaron Baddeley (Top 10)

Charley Hoffman IN

Monday

Kyle Stanley WD / Dylan Wu IN

Brian Gay WD / Jonathan Byrd IN

Tuesday

Joel Dahmen WD / Hank Lebioda IN

Tee Times: (link)

Twitter avatar for @PGATOUR
PGA TOUR @PGATOUR
Tee times for @theamexgolf ⛳️ 11:41 a.m. ET 🏌️‍♂️ Scheffler 🏌️‍♂️ Finau 11:41 a.m. ET 🏌️ Young 🏌️ Zalatoris 12:14 p.m. ET 🏌️ Cantlay 🏌️ Schauffele 1:31 p.m. ET 🏌️‍♂️ Rahm 🏌️‍♂️ Fowler
9:36 PM ∙ Jan 17, 2023
177Likes13Retweets

What They’re Saying

You Want to Beat the Best (Golf Week/USA Today)

How to Watch Today (Golf Week/USA Today)

LIV Secures TV Money from Obscure CW Network (ESPNCom)


Sports Gambling and Daily Fantasy

Expert Picks for the AMEX - (PGATourCom)

Sleeper Picks for the AMEX - (PGATourCom)


On This Day in Golf History

January 19, 2003 - Ernie Els beat Aaron Baddelay on the second playoff hole at the SONY Open in Hawaii. Els hit an incredible 43-foot birdie putt from the fringe of the 10th green at Waialae Country Club. Els became the first player in 13 years to win the first two PGA TOUR events of the year.


Parting Putt

Twitter avatar for @PGATOUR
PGA TOUR @PGATOUR
Prepping for 8 different courses over 3 weeks is no easy task. TOUR rookie @B_Matthews12 is ready for the challenge.
Image
2:48 AM ∙ Jan 19, 2023
100Likes15Retweets

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