The American Express: Top 10 power rankings in California
The PGA Tour’s West Coast swing begins with The American Express, an event featuring a new host, Phil Mickelson.
If you can recite every name this week’s PGA Tour event has gone by, you deserve a prize. What continues to be affectionately referred to as the Bob Hope Classic (“The Hope,” for short) is now officially known as the American Express. It’s been the CareerBuilder Challenge, Humana Challenge, Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, and on and on.
Phil Mickelson is also the event’s new host. Lefty’s played The American Express 15 times and nearly won for the third time in 2019 when he finished runner up to underdog Adam Long.
This event is spread out over three courses for the first three rounds: the PGA West Stadium course, PGA West Nicklaus course, and La Quinta Country Club. The Stadium course hosts the final round.
All are par-72 layouts measuring between 7,060 and 7,204 yards. Common characteristics are wide fairways, receptive and slow Bermuda greens and light rough. It’s a pro-am event, so the pins are never too tricky and scoring is low, low, low.
Since dropping from a 90-hole event to 72 holes in 2012, the winning tally has been 20-under or better. Patrick Reed’s 28-under 260 score in 2014 is the 72-hole tournament record.
Statistics to watch include strokes gained off the tee, par-5 scoring, birdie average and putting on Bermuda.
The early weather forecast predicts dome-like conditions. Temperatures in the 70s Fahrenheit, winds in the single digits miles per hour and little to no chance of rain look likely.
This week’s field is relatively weak by PGA Tour standards. A lot of players are resting up for bigger upcoming events at Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach, Riviera, etc., and/or overseas. This week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has attracted a ton of big names including Americans Brooks Koepka, Patrick Cantlay, and Bryson DeChambeau.
We’ve still got some big names to keep an eye on, though, in the Coachella Valley. There’s also a good chance to see a first-time winner, who I have pegged in the No. 1 slot.
Let’s get to it: