Horses for Courses: The American Express

The 64th edition of The American Express kicks off the West Coast Swing in the Coachella Valley at Pete Dye's Stadium Course, the Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club.

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A stacked field with 10 of the top 20 in the world amongst a field of 156 players and their amateur partners are vying to rack up the most birdies in the first event on the mainland this season.

For more details of the courses keep reading past the rankings but let’s see who runs well in the desert! It’s a slight hike from the Los Angeles Rams SoFi Stadium but those blue and yellow fans would know signs point to Coachella being Rahm’s house!

Horses for CoursesHigh Five

-Players listed only if they are in the field for 2022-

Jon Rahm (Win: +600; Top 5: +125; Top 10: -160; Top 20: -350)

Won in his second visit in 2018 in a playoff over Andrew Landry as they posted 22-under. Solo sixth (-21) in 2019 as he looked to join Johnny Miller as the only winners to defend. Returned in 2022 for T14 on 14-under. All 16 rounds are par or better. Posted 62 at La Quinta in 2018 for his best in the rotation. Never MC in four starts.

Patrick Cantlay (Win: +1100; Top 5: +225; Top 10: +110; Top 20: -190)

Holds the Stadium Course record by two shots as he closed with 61 in 2021 for second place. Opened with 62 at La Quinta last year and led after 36 holes before settling for ninth. Posted T9 in 2019 in his first visit since racking up nine-under yet missing the cut in 2013. Of his 15 rounds all are 72 or better and six have resulted in 66 or better. Streak is three consecutive top 10s.

Si Woo Kim (Win: +4000; Top 5: +700; Top 10: +333; Top 20: +140)

The 2021 champ had to navigate three of the four rounds on the Stadium Course (23-under). Co-led the field in Par-5 Scoring and GIR while not making a bogey on the Stadium Course. T11 in defense last season but was second with 26 birdies. T9 debut in 2016. Cashed in four of five visits. Sits 39-under in his last two starts.

Brian Harman (Win: +4000; Top 5: +650; Top 10: +320; Top 20: +150)

Played all seven events since the new rotation started and has made six cuts. All six paydays are T21 or better with T3 and T8 the last two seasons. T3 in 2022 and 2017. Sits 49-under over the last three editions. Closed with a Sunday co-best 64 last year.

Adam Hadwin (Win: +6600; Top 5: +1000; Top 10: +450; Top 20: +220)

Streak of T6-2nd-T3-T2 from 2016 thru 2019. Never MC in seven visits. T32 or better in six visits in the new rotation. Shot 59 at La Quinta in 2017 in Round 3. Sits sixth on the all-time money list minus a victory. T25-T32 in his last two visits.

Odds sourced on Tuesday, January 17th at 3 p.m. ET.For live odds visit betmgm.

Pipped at the Post

Tom Hoge (Win: +4000; Top 5: +700; Top 10: +333; Top 20: +160): Played in final group last year for 2nd place (-21). Sat one back after 36 and 54 holes. Picked up T6 in 2020 (-19) in just his second weekend in five starts. MC 2021.

Andrew Landry (Win: +??00; Top 5: +6600; Top 10: +2800; Top 20: +1200): 2020 winner made 31 birdies to claim title. Lost playoff to Rahm in 2018. Run of four straight was busted with MC 2022. T28 or better in three of six.

Sungjae Im (Win: +2200; Top 5: +350; Top 10: +188; Top 20: -110): Cashed T11, T12, T10 and T12 in four visits the last four years. Of 12 rounds 11 are in the red with 86 birdies.

Michael Thompson (Win: +??00; Top 5: +2800; Top 10: +1200; Top 20: +550): Cashed in half of six visits to this rotation with T5 (2021) and T9 (2019) the highlights. T28 in 2016. MC in 2022 and 2020.

Tony Finau (Win: +1400; Top 5: +275; Top 10: +138; Top 20: -160): Cashed three straight as T14 was followed by T4 before T40 last season. Did not start between 2017 and 2019. Owns 62 on NT and 18 of 19 rounds career in the red.

Bookies Bonus (starts/made cuts)

Lee Hodges: 1/1 (Win: +12500; Top 20: +400) Led after 54 holes last year on the back of 62 and 64 before finishing T3.

Will Zalatoris: 1/1(Win: +2000; To Make Cut: -600) T6 on debut included 61 at NT.

Cam Davis: 3/3(Win: +5000; To Make Cut: -250): T3 in 2021 came after T29 and T28 the previous two seasons. DNS last year.

Scottie Scheffler: 2/3(Win: +1000; Top 5: +188; Top 10: -110; Top 20: -225): Played in final group on debut in 2020 but shot 70 to finish third. MC in 2021 before T25 last year. All 10 rounds in the red.

Andrew Putnam: 5/6(Win: +5000; To Make Cut: -190): T34 or better in five appearances in this rotation with T14-T21-T10 the last three seasons. All 20 rounds in the red.

David Lingmerth: 6/6 (Win: +25000; Top 20: +700): Lost a playoff in 2016 and in 2013. First visit since 2018.

Bill Haas: 12/18(Win: +75000; Top 20: +1600): Only two-time winner in the field but MC the last five. Caution.

Jason Dufner: 10/13 (Win: +100000; Top 20: +1600): Inaugural winner on this rotation has cashed five of seven here but nothing better than T25 after his win.

With three Par-72 resort courses sitting not even 7,200 yards from the tips it's easy to see why everyone in the field this week is licking their chops. For those players mired in a slump The American Express should provide an excellent elixir to getting back on form.

For the in-form players there's nothing better than not having to judge wind, elevation or tricky greens. Ready, aim, fire and make the putt.

The rough barely is noticeable and the greens are pure and perfect. Weather won't factor so stick those wedges close and roll the Par-5 holes over.

After a round on each course the top 65 and ties return to Pete Dye's Stadium Course for the final round. It provides the biggest challenge, relatively speaking but is more difficult when the wind blows. But if that's not the case, scores should sparkle in the mid 20's again. The forecast suggests that to be the case again this year.

Adam Long (2019) and Jhonattan Vegas (2011) are the only rookie winners.

Jon Rahm and Jack Nicklaus were both 23 when they won, the two youngest to do so.

Brian Gay was 41 in 2013 when he became the oldest winner.

On the line is 500 FedExCup points plus $1.440 million of the $8 million purse for the first winner on the West Coast swing.

Need more details about the course, the weather or what it took for previous winners? Read Statistically Speaking, and Adam Stanley's The First Look.

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