For the first time this season, the PGA Tour returns to the mainland United States to kick off the West Coast Swing this week at The American Express Golf Tournament in La Quinta, Calif., which is about 130 miles east of Los Angeles in the Coachella Valley.
Although this is not a signature event, it is still a loaded field with some of the game’s best stars on hand as some are even making their 2024 season debut this week, including two-time major champion, Justin Thomas, who did not make the FedEx Cup Playoff for the first time in his career last August.
Last week, Grayson Murray won the Sony Open in Hawaii after he made a 37-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole against Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley. This came after he made birdie on the 72nd hole just to force a playoff.
Now, Murray comes to the west coast ready to take advantage as he currently sits at No. 3 in the FedEx Cup Standings through the season’s first two events.
Murray is one of 144 players who will by competing on three different courses this week – Pete Dye Stadium Course, La Quinta Country Club and the Nicklaus Tournament Course. All three courses are par-72s, measuring around 7,000 to 7,200 yards.
As a result, the cut will take place on Saturday after 54 holes of play, compared to the normal 36-hole cut, and the final round will take place on the Pete Dye Stadium Course on Sunday.
Related: Grayson Murray wins three-way playoff at Sony Open in Hawaii
What channel is The American Express Golf Tournament on?
The American Express will be televised on the Golf Channel.
Television schedule for The American Express Golf Tournament
| Round | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| 1 | Thursday, Jan. 18 | 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 2 | Friday, Jan. 19 | 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 3 | Saturday, Jan. 20 | 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 4 | Sunday, Jan. 21 | 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Golf Channel |
Other TV coverage for The American Express Golf Tournament
In addition to The American Express being televised on the Golf Channel, the tournament will also be broadcasted on ESPN+ and Peacock. PGA Tour Live for the marquee and featured groups can be exclusively found on ESPN+ for all four days of the tournament, in addition to the featured holes around the course.
The American Express will also be on the airwaves of Sirius XM for all four rounds.
Thursday, Jan. 18 (Round 1)
ESPN+: 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Jan. 19 (Round 2)
ESPN+: 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, Jan. 20 (Round 3)
ESPN+: 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 21 (Round 4)
ESPN+: 11:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET
Related: Rory McIlroy has ‘dream scenario’ for a new world tour
How much are tickets for The American Express Golf Tournament?
Tickets to walk the grounds for The American Express begin at $60 per day and prices increased for elevated access, such as the Dye Club or the Champions Club for as low as $225.
To grow the game, children 15 and under are admitted free into The American Express when accompanied by a ticketed adult. In addition, those who are affiliated with the U.S. military or are veterans are provided free admission.
Payout for The American Express 2024
The total purse is $8.4 million, and the winner will receive $1.5 million. In addition, the winner will receive 500 points towards the FedEx Cup standings.
Who are some of the top golfers in The American Express field?
Four of the top 10 and 22 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings are in The American Express field this week, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Rounding out the top 10 in this week’s field are World No. 5 Patrick Cantlay, No. 6 Xander Schauffele and No. 10 Wyndham Clark.
Michael Block, who stole the show at last year’s PGA Championship as a PGA Professional that was highlighted by a hole-in-one during that final round, is on property this week. Block, whose home course at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club is a little more than 80 miles away, is looking to continue to make noise at an event on the PGA Tour schedule.
Last week in Hawaii, Will Zalatoris (back surgery) and Gary Woodland (brain lesion) made their returns to the PGA Tour. This week, it is Daniel Berger returning to a PGA Tour field for the first time since June 2022. Like Zalatoris, Berger has had a lower back injury, having not played since the 2022 U.S. Open. Zalatoris and Berger are paired together this week.
The two winners from Hawaii – Murray and Chris Kirk – are both competing this week in Southern California, including other notable players such as Tony Finau, Tom Kim, Jason Day. southern California native Rickie Fowler and Min Woo Lee.
Also in the field this week is Tom Whitney, who is making his 2024 season debut. Whitney, who is an Air Force veteran, also went to nearby La Quinta High School, which is 10 miles away from PGA West.
Related: PGA superstar Rory McIlroy makes stunning about-face on LIV Golf and Saudi’s influence on golf
5 players with the best chance to win The American Express Golf Tournament
Sungjae Im
Sungjae Im rolls into the Coachella Valley looking to continue his hot start to the year after a top-five finish at The Sentry two weeks ago in the season’s first signature event. Despite an even par 73 in the third round at Kapalua, he followed that up the next day for a final round 10-under 63 and a strong finish.
In the last five years of The American Express, Im has played in each tournament and has finished between T10 and T18. Im, who also has a T11 and two T12s, recorded a T10 at The American Express in 2020. The experience and his 20-under score from 12 months ago will play dividends this week.
Tom Kim
With the way Tom Kim plays, this is an opportunity for him to take advantage this week at The American Express. He knows how to record greens in regulation, how to score – especially on par 5s – and have success on the greens.
Last season, Kim ranked 10th in strokes gained approach, 29th in greens in regulation percentage as a top-10 finish 12 months ago this week marked the first of nine top-10s last season.
Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele is coming off a strong finish at The Sentry a couple weeks ago that was fueled by an eagle on the 72nd hole to get inside the top 10. He also has some momentum from this event last year when he shot a final round 10-under 62 to finish in a tie for third, highlighted by a double eagle on the par-5 fifth in the Stadium Course. Although he has not won in 18 months (Scottish Open, 2022), he still holds the current PGA Tour consecutive made cut streak at 35, making him a contender to win this week.
J.T. Poston
J.T. Poston comes into this week with two, top-10 finishes in Hawaii. He finished tied for fifth at The Sentry and sixth last week at the Sony Open last week. He also finished his final round last week at the Sony Open with a 9-under 61 to propel himself inside the top 10.
Poston, who finished 39th in last year’s FedEx Cup standings, ended his 2022-23 season on a high note with a T2 at the 3M Open, followed by a T7 at the Wyndham Championship before a couple of top 25s during the playoffs. Poston also tied for third at the Shriners Children’s Open during the fall.
Scottie Scheffler
The top player in the world enters Coachella Valley having finished in the same position as Poston at The Sentry a couple week ago. Scheffler was limited by the windy and difficult conditions that the third round, shooting just a 2-under 71. He still led the field in greens in regulation percentage as well as second in strokes gained approach and third in strokes gained off the tee.
Scheffler finished just outside the top 10 in last year’s The American Express, finishing in 11th, for one of his rare non-top 10s as he shot all four rounds between 65 and 68.
Related: Where Scottie Scheffler ranked among the top 10 PGA Tour players to end 2023
The American Express pairings
All times ET; Pete Dye Stadium Course (SC), La Quinta Country Club (LQ) and Nicklaus Tournament Course (NT)
| Round 1: 1 tee | Round 2: 10 tee | Round 3: 1 tee | Players |
| 11:30 a.m. (SC) | 1:20 p.m. (LQ) | 12:47 p.m. (NT) | Mark Hubbard, Hayden Buckley |
| 11:41 a.m. (SC) | 1:31 p.m. (LQ) | 12:58 p.m. (NT) | Scott Stallings, Lee Hodges |
| 11:52 a.m. (SC) | 1:42 p.m. (LQ) | 1:09 p.m. (NT) | Hayden Springer, Harrison Endycott |
| 12:03 p.m. (SC) | 11:30 a.m. (LQ) | 1:20 p.m. (NT) | Sam Ryder, Peter Malnati |
| 12:14 p.m. (SC) | 11:41 a.m. (LQ) | 1:31 p.m. (NT) | Chez Reavie, Kevin Kisner |
| 12:25 p.m. (SC) | 11:52 a.m. (LQ) | 1:42 p.m. (NT) | Sami Valimaki, David Skims |
| 12:36 p.m. (SC) | 12:03 p.m. (LQ) | 11:30 a.m. (NT) | Aaron Baddeley, Thomas Detry |
| 12:47 p.m. (SC) | 12:14 p.m. (LQ) | 11:41 a.m. (NT) | Eric Cole, Adam Schenk |
| 12:58 p.m. (SC) | 12:25 p.m. (LQ) | 11:52 a.m. (NT) | Billy Horschel, Camilo Villegas |
| 1:09 p.m. (SC) | 12:36 p.m. (LQ) | 12:03 p.m. (NT) | Tom Whitney, Trace Crowe |
| 1:20 p.m. (SC) | 12:47 p.m. (LQ) | 12:14 p.m. (NT) | Will Zalatoris, Daniel Berger |
| 1:31 p.m. (SC) | 12:58 p.m. (LQ) | 12:25 p.m. (NT) | J.T. Poston, Grayson Murray |
| 1:42 p.m. (SC) | 1:09 p.m. (LQ) | 12:36 p.m. (NT) | Norman Xiong, Michael Block |
| Round 1: 10 tee | Round 2: 1 tee | Round 3: 10 tee | Players |
| 11:30 a.m. (SC) | 1:20 p.m. (LQ) | 12:47 p.m. (NT) | Harry Hall, Sam Stevens |
| 11:41 a.m. (SC) | 1:31 p.m. (LQ) | 12:58 p.m. (NT) | Ryan Brehm, Chad Ramey |
| 11:52 a.m. (SC) | 1:42 p.m. (LQ) | 1:09 p.m. (NT) | Patrick Fishburn, Yuxin Lin |
| 12:03 p.m. (SC) | 11:30 a.m. (LQ) | 1:20 p.m. (NT) | S.H. Kim, Tyson Alexander |
| 12:14 p.m. (SC) | 11:41 a.m. (LQ) | 1:31 p.m. (NT) | Martin Laird, Lanto Griffin |
| 12:25 p.m. (SC) | 11:52 a.m. (LQ) | 1:42 p.m. (NT) | Rafael Campos, Nicholas Lingheim |
| 12:36 p.m. (SC) | 12:03 p.m. (LQ) | 11:30 a.m. (NT) | Garrick Higgo, Doug Ghim |
| 12:47 p.m. (SC) | 12:14 p.m. (LQ) | 11:41 a.m. (NT) | Ben Martin, Beau Hossler |
| 12:58 p.m. (SC) | 12:25 p.m. (LQ) | 11:52 a.m. (NT) | Tyler Duncan, Patton Kizzire |
| 1:09 p.m. (SC) | 12:36 p.m. (LQ) | 12:03 p.m. (NT) | Nate Lashley, Carson Young |
| 1:20 p.m. (SC) | 12:47 p.m. (LQ) | 12:14 p.m. (NT) | Bronson Burgoon, Tyler McCumber |
| 1:31 p.m. (SC) | 12:58 p.m. (LQ) | 12:25 p.m. (NT) | J.B. Holmes, Jhonattan Vegas |
| 1:42 p.m. (SC) | 1:09 p.m. (LQ) | 12:36 p.m. (NT) | Mac Meissner, Chandler Phillips |
| Round 1: 1 tee | Round 2: 10 tee | Round 3: 1 tee | Players |
| 11:30 a.m. (NT) | 1:20 p.m. (SC) | 12:47 p.m. (LQ) | Carl Yuan, Callum Tarren |
| 11:41 a.m. (NT) | 1:31 p.m. (SC) | 12:58 p.m. (LQ) | Davis Riley, Matt Wallace |
| 11:52 a.m. (NT) | 1:42 p.m. (SC) | 1:09 p.m. (LQ) | Jimmy Stanger, Blaine Hale Jr. |
| 12:03 p.m. (NT) | 11:30 a.m. (SC) | 1:20 p.m. (LQ) | Andrew Novak, Matti Schmid |
| 12:14 p.m. (NT) | 11:41 a.m. (SC) | 1:31 p.m. (LQ) | Jason Dufner, Andrew Landry |
| 12:25 p.m. (NT) | 11:52 a.m. (SC) | 1:42 p.m. (LQ) | Ryan McCormick, Joe Highsmith |
| 12:36 p.m. (NT) | 12:03 p.m. (SC) | 11:30 a.m. (LQ) | Dylan Wu, Robby Shelton |
| 12:47 p.m. (NT) | 12:14 p.m. (SC) | 11:41 a.m. (LQ) | David Lingmerth, Kevin Yu |
| 12:58 p.m. (NT) | 12:25 p.m. (SC) | 11:52 a.m. (LQ) | Ryan Moore, Joseph Bramlett |
| 1:09 p.m. (NT) | 12:36 p.m. (SC) | 12:03 p.m. (LQ) | Max Greysermar, Raul Pereda |
| 1:20 p.m. (NT) | 12:47 p.m. (SC) | 12:14 p.m. (LQ) | Zac Blair, David Lipsky |
| 1:31 p.m. (NT) | 12:58 p.m. (SC) | 12:25 p.m. (LQ) | Matt Kuchar, Nick Taylor |
| 1:42 p.m. (NT) | 1:09 p.m. (SC) | 12:36 p.m. (LQ) | Roger Sloan, Scott Gutschewski |
| Round 1: 10 tee | Round 2: 1 tee | Round 3: 10 tee | Players |
| 11:30 a.m. (NT) | 1:20 p.m. (SC) | 12:47 p.m. (LQ) | Taylor Montgomery, Austin Eckroat |
| 11:41 a.m. (NT) | 1:31 p.m. (SC) | 12:58 p.m. (LQ) | Sungjae Im, Cameron Champ |
| 11:52 a.m. (NT) | 1:42 p.m. (SC) | 1:09 p.m. (LQ) | Alejandro Tosti, Rico Hoey |
| 12:03 p.m. (NT) | 11:30 a.m. (SC) | 1:20 p.m. (LQ) | Troy Merritt, Josh Teater |
| 12:14 p.m. (NT) | 11:41 a.m. (SC) | 1:31 p.m. (LQ) | Andrew Putnam, Cam Davis |
| 12:25 p.m. (NT) | 11:52 a.m. (SC) | 1:42 p.m. (LQ) | Matthieu Pavon, Paul Barjon |
| 12:36 p.m. (NT) | 12:03 p.m. (SC) | 11:30 a.m. (LQ) | Stephan Jaeger, Matt NeSmith |
| 12:47 p.m. (NT) | 12:14 p.m. (SC) | 11:41 a.m. (LQ) | Keith Mitchell, Joel Dahmen |
| 12:58 p.m. (NT) | 12:25 p.m. (SC) | 11:52 a.m. (LQ) | Adam Hadwin, Taylor Pendrith |
| 1:09 p.m. (NT) | 12:36 p.m. (SC) | 12:03 p.m. (LQ) | Chris Gotterup, Chan Kim |
| 1:20 p.m. (NT) | 12:47 p.m. (SC) | 12:14 p.m. (LQ) | Justin Lower, Alex Smalley |
| 1:31 p.m. (NT) | 12:58 p.m. (SC) | 12:25 p.m. (LQ) | Tom Kim, Min Woo Lee |
| 1:42 p.m. (NT) | 1:09 p.m. (SC) | 12:36 p.m. (LQ) | Wilson Furr, Nick Dunler |
| Round 1: 1 tee | Round 2: 10 tee | Round 3: 1 tee | Players |
| 11:30 a.m. (LQ) | 1:20 p.m. (NT) | 12:47 p.m. (SC) | Adam Long, Ryan Palmer |
| 11:41 a.m. (LQ) | 1:31 p.m. (NT) | 12:58 p.m. (SC) | Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau |
| 11:52 a.m. (LQ) | 1:42 p.m. (NT) | 1:09 p.m. (SC) | Pierceson Coody, Adrien Dumont de Chassart |
| 12:03 p.m. (LQ) | 11:30 a.m. (NT) | 1:20 p.m. (SC) | Ben Griffin, Davis Thompson |
| 12:14 p.m. (LQ) | 11:41 a.m. (NT) | 1:31 p.m. (SC) | Scottie Scheffler, Patirck Cantlay |
| 12:25 p.m. (LQ) | 11:52 a.m. (NT) | 1:42 p.m. (SC) | Ben Kohles, Ryo Hisatsune |
| 12:36 p.m. (LQ) | 12:03 p.m. (NT) | 11:30 a.m. (SC) | Greyson Sigg, Justin Suh |
| 12:47 p.m. (LQ) | 12:14 p.m. (NT) | 11:41 a.m. (SC) | Zach Johnson, Brandt Snedeker |
| 12:58 p.m. (LQ) | 12:25 p.m. (NT) | 11:52 a.m. (SC) | Chris Kirk, Wyndham Clark |
| 1:09 p.m. (LQ) | 12:36 p.m. (NT) | 12:03 p.m. (SC) | Vince Whaley, Robert MacIntyre |
| 1:20 p.m. (LQ) | 12:47 p.m. (NT) | 12:14 p.m. (SC) | Akshay Bhatia, Nico Echavarria |
| 1:31 p.m. (LQ) | 12:58 p.m. (NT) | 12:25 p.m. (SC) | Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas |
| 1:42 p.m. (LQ) | 1:09 p.m. (NT) | 12:36 p.m. (SC) | Taiga Semikawa, Jacob Bridgeman |
| Round 1: 10 tee | Round 2: 1 tee | Round 3: 10 tee | Players |
| 11:30 a.m. (LQ) | 1:20 p.m. (NT) | 12:47 p.m. (SC) | Charley Hoffman, Kevin Streelman |
| 11:41 a.m. (LQ) | 1:31 p.m. (NT) | 12:58 p.m. (SC) | Shane Lowry, Jason Day |
| 11:52 a.m. (LQ) | 1:42 p.m. (NT) | 1:09 p.m. (SC) | Jake Knapp, Ben Silverman |
| 12:03 p.m. (LQ) | 11:30 a.m. (NT) | 1:20 p.m. (SC) | Bill Haas, Chesson Hadley |
| 12:14 p.m. (LQ) | 11:41 a.m. (NT) | 1:31 p.m. (SC) | Sam Burns, Erik Barnes |
| 12:25 p.m. (LQ) | 11:52 a.m. (NT) | 1:42 p.m. (SC) | Parker Coody, John Pak |
| 12:36 p.m. (LQ) | 12:03 p.m. (NT) | 11:30 a.m. (SC) | Michael Kim, Maverick McNealy |
| 12:47 p.m. (LQ) | 12:14 p.m. (NT) | 11:41 a.m. (SC) | Aaron Rai, Ben Taylor |
| 12:58 p.m. (LQ) | 12:25 p.m. (NT) | 11:52 a.m. (SC) | Tom Hoge, Si Woo Kim |
| 1:09 p.m. (LQ) | 12:36 p.m. (NT) | 12:03 p.m. (SC) | Brandon Wu, Will Gordon |
| 1:20 p.m. (LQ) | 12:47 p.m. (NT) | 12:14 p.m. (SC) | Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Alex Noren |
| 1:31 p.m. (LQ) | 12:58 p.m. (NT) | 12:25 p.m. (SC) | Erik van Rooyen, K.H. Lee |
| 1:42 p.m. (LQ) | 1:09 p.m. (NT) | 12:36 p.m. (SC) | Kevin Dougherty, Alexander Bjork |