Course Preview and Fits: The American Express

One week down, the rest to go! After a traditional, full-field, 36-hole-cut event, we move to the American Express, a three-course Pro Am with a cut after the 54-hole mark. Normally a write-off for most of the top players in the world, the Amex is a major beneficiary of the schedule and field changes the PGA Tour has made this season. Rather than the typical handful of top-25 players in the world, the Amex will feature 12 of the world’s top 25, including five of the top 10 and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Needless to say, this is the best field the Amex has had in modern PGA Tour history, and it should produce some ridiculously low scores, assuming the weather cooperates.

The Course:

Rather than one course, we have three this week. The “host” venue is the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West, and it will be supported by the Nicklaus Tournament Course (also at PGA West) and La Quinta Country Club. Given the format this week, the entire field will get one round at each of the three courses, then the cut will be made to the top 65 and ties, and the final round will take place at the Dye Stadium Course.

All three courses this week are set to play as par 72 layouts with four par 5s, four par 3s, and 10 par 4s. Nicklaus and Dye will feature poa overseed on the greens, while La Quinta will be a poa ryegrass overseed blend. All three courses will have rye grass overseed through the rest of the course. Dye will play 7,200 yards, Nicklaus 7,100, and La Quinta 7,034.