Lee and Coody in front, Scheffler one stroke behind at The American Express
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Scottie Scheffler aimed to assess his performance at The American Express, and everything seemed to be functioning well on Thursday. He recorded birdies on half of his holes, finishing with a 9-under 63, placing him just one stroke behind the leaders.
Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody topped the leaderboard with a score of 10-under 62 on the Nicklaus Tournament course at PGA West, which is the most accessible of the three courses in use. Scheffler played at La Quinta, where he did not miss a green until the 17th hole, chipping in for birdie there.
“The most challenging aspect of these rounds where you need to score so low is that you can only achieve a certain number of under-par strokes in a round of golf,” Scheffler remarked. “In easier conditions, where scores are exceptionally low, if you start to fall behind, it becomes significantly more difficult to keep pace, so maintaining your score is crucial out here.”
Jason Day delivered the standout performance of the day with his 63 on the Stadium Course at PGA West, which was nearly four strokes tougher than the Nicklaus course and just over three strokes more difficult than La Quinta.
However, it was a strong beginning for many of the 156 competitors — the largest domestic field of the year among regular PGA Tour events due to the three courses. They enjoyed ideal conditions typical of the California desert, with pleasant temperatures and minimal wind.
Even with the new technology-driven TGL, weather like this has historically made Palm Springs feel akin to playing indoors.
“It feels almost like you’re in a dome,” Vince Whaley stated after his 63 at Nicklaus. “There’s hardly any wind, the turf is perfect, the golf courses are in excellent condition, and it’s a great opportunity to evaluate your game in very favorable conditions. If you can’t hit a 6-iron here, you won’t hit it well anywhere.”
Scheffler is competing against one of the strongest fields seen in decades at The American Express, nearing the three-year mark at No. 1 in the world, with a total of 13 tour titles and three majors over the past two years.
This marked his first competition against a full field — the first time he played with a 36-hole cut — since September in Napa, California, where he emerged victorious.
After just six holes into the new year, he was already at 5-under par.
Scheffler hit only five of 14 fairways but was generally well-positioned until the latter part of his round, facing tree obstructions that required a hard fade on one shot and a low slider around the trees on another at the 17th. That shot ran through the green, leading to a chip that rolled in like a putt.
He started strong and maintained routine pars in the middle of his round, with a few birdies interspersed. The only moment of slight concern occurred when a sprinkler activated right beneath him during his post-round interviews.
“I felt I could have hit a few more fairways on the back nine to create more chances,” Scheffler noted. “Even the fairways I missed, I was missing on the right side. It was nice to keep it in play, even though my back nine wasn’t my best, and still give myself some opportunities.”
This was true for nearly all players.
Lee achieved three consecutive birdies around the turn and four in a row toward the end of his round. Coody made seven straight birdies on the back nine before finishing with a par.
Nine players recorded a score of 63, including Ben Griffin and Patrick Cantlay, while eight others finished at 64.
The final round will take place on the Stadium Course, where the primary challenge was the firmness of the greens, making it difficult to get close to the hole. Day encountered few issues, having introduced a new set of Avoda irons this year.
“The irons felt great, my short game was solid, and I putted really well today,” Day commented. “I just need to work on my driver a bit. Some of my drives were slightly off. Overall, I feel pretty good.”
Rickie Fowler faced setbacks with three bogeys over a four-hole stretch on the back nine at La Quinta, but his left shoulder felt excellent, and he showed minimal signs of tournament rust. Fowler has not competed since the BMW Championship five months ago.
Divots: Blades Brown, the 18-year-old who turned pro last year, shot a 67 to conclude a hectic 24 hours. He finished tied for 17th in the Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas on Wednesday, then flew privately to Palm Springs, arriving around 8 p.m. He had a 9:58 a.m. tee time Thursday at La Quinta. He earned the flight voucher as a reward for finishing in the top 50 at the Myrtle Beach Classic last year. … Brian Harman received a two-shot penalty for hitting the wrong ball on the 10th hole. Golf Channel reported that he struck an amateur’s golf ball.
