The PGA Tour is off and running. After holding its opening event of the 2026 campaign in Hawaii, things move to the mainland for the American Express, which was first held in 1960.
This year’s event is loaded with big names. There’s 156 players in the field, which is doable since the tournament is held on three golf courses, the only PGA Tour stop with such a format.
At 8:30 a.m. local time (11:30 a.m. ET), the golf balls were flying in the California desert. Follow along right here all day Thursday for live leaderboard updates from the 2026 American Express.
American Express 2026 leaderboard
Keep tabs on the scoring all day during the first round on Thursday. You can also see tee times and pairings for opening day.
Where to watch, follow the American Express 2026
Get PGA Tour Live in ESPN+
First round, Thursday, Jan. 22
Watch Golf Channel for free on Fubo
Five birdies in his first six holes. World No. 1 is on fire to begin his 2026 campaign.
Uh oh. Playing at La Quinta Country Club, Scottie Scheffler has birdied his first two holes of 2026. That’s probably bad news for the rest of the field.
Brown competed in the Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas, where he tied for 17th on Wednesday. Then it was off to the Coachella desert for a 9:58 am. (local time) tee time in the American Express on Thursday. He’ll play in a twosome with David Ford at La Quinta Country Club.
What are the golf courses used at the American Express 2026?
The AmEx is played on three courses in La Quinta, California: The Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West, the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club. Each golfer plays one round at each of the three over the first three rounds. Then, there’s a 54-hole cut with only those surviving moving on to Sunday’s final round at the Stadium Course.
Who’s the defending champion at the American Express?
That would be Sepp Straka, who a year ago opened with a 65 and fired a pair of 64s, including in his first tour around the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course in the second round. Straka birdied three of the first seven holes and didn’t miss a green in the final round until the 14th hole. He didn’t make a bogey until the 70th hole of the tournament at which point he was nursing a four-stroke lead. He bogeyed two of the last three holes when it only mattered for the history books, posting a 72-hole total of 25-under 263.
Is Scottie Scheffler playing this week?
Why yes he is. He was set to play this event in 2025 but a kitchen mishap put him on the sidelines for a bit, but he’s back this year. The world No. 1 is making his 2026 PGA Tour debut at La Quinta.
What’s the prize money breakdown at the American Express?
The total purse for the 2026 American Express is $9.2 million. See the breakdown of the entire payout here. The winner of the AmEx receives $1.656 million, or 18 percent of the total purse.