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The First Look: Nick Dunlap returns to site of first TOUR win at The American Express

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Written by Kevin Prise @PGATOURKevin

The PGA TOUR heads to California’s Coachella Valley for The American Express, the third event of the 2025 season and the first in the continental United States. The long-running TOUR stop features a three-course rotation, with a cut after Saturday’s third round. The top 65 and ties will play the Pete Dye Stadium Course in Sunday’s final round.

Nick Dunlap will defend his title after winning in 2024 as an amateur, the first to do so since 1991. Major champions Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas are also among notables set to compete in the TOUR’s first California stop of 2025.

The American Express also allows players to improve their position in the Aon Swing 5 to qualify for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational, the next two Signature Events of the 2025 season.

There’s plenty of star power in the field in the Coachella Valley, along with several up-and-comers looking to make a quick splash on TOUR.

Here’s a look at what you need to know for The American Express.

FIELD NOTES: Nick Dunlap will defend his title after becoming the first amateur to win on TOUR since 1991. Dunlap, a college sophomore at the time, carded 29-under 259 for a one-stroke win over Christiaan Bezuidenhout. He turned pro less than a week after his victory and finished No. 49 on the 2024 FedExCup, adding a second title at the Barracuda Championship. Bezuidenhout will compete this week as well … World No. 11 Patrick Cantlay is also seeking his first title in La Quinta; his best finish in six starts is a runner-up in 2021 … World No. 7 Wyndham Clark will make his seventh start at the event, still seeking his first top-10 finish … Other world top-20 players in the field include Billy Horschel, Sungjae Im and Sam Burns … After a tie for third at The American Express a year ago, which featured a third-round 61, Justin Thomas returns to the field … Nick Taylor looks to carry his momentum from a playoff victory at last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii, where he defeated Nico Echavarria with a birdie on the second extra hole for his fifth TOUR title. Echavarria will compete this week as well … PGA TOUR rookies Will Chandler and Matthew Riedel will make their debut as members after earning status via Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry last month … Past winners of The American Express set to compete include Jason Dufner, Charley Hoffman and Si Woo Kim.

HIGHEST-RANKED PLAYERS IN THE FIELD

Official World Golf RankingFedExCup
7. Wyndham Clark2. Nick Taylor
11. Patrick Cantlay4. Sungjae Im
15. Billy Horschel5. Nico Echavarria
18. Sungjae Im6. Jhonattan Vegas
20. Sam Burns10. Harry Hall
21. Justin ThomasT12. Tom Hoge
23. Tom Kim14. J.J. Spaun
24. Tony FinauT15. Cameron Young
38. Brian HarmanT15. Sam Burns
29. Nick Taylor18. Eric Cole

SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS: Blades Brown, 17, will make his first TOUR start since turning pro last month. Brown made his TOUR debut at last year’s Myrtle Beach Classic, finishing T26 … Popular YouTube content creator Wesley Bryan, who finished No. 128 on last year’s FedExCup Fall standings, will make his fifth appearance at The American Express … Chesson Hadley, winner of the 2014 Puerto Rico Open, finished No. 150 on last year’s FedExCup Fall standings … Kevin Streelman, 46, will make his 464th career PGA TOUR start; he also Monday qualified for last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii … Two-time major champion Zach Johnson will compete at a solid showing at the Sony Open, where he finished T21 … Three-time PGA TOUR winner Chez Reavie, 43, will make his 16th start at The American Express.

SIGNATURE EVENT STORYLINES: The American Express marks the second event of the Aon Swing 5 for 2025 … The top five FedExCup points earners across the Sony Open, The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open (not otherwise exempt) will qualify for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am via the Aon Swing 5. … The top five FedExCup points earners across the Sony Open, The American Express, Farmers Insurance Open and WM Phoenix Open (not otherwise exempt) will qualify for The Genesis Invitational via the Aon Swing 5. J.J. Spaun leads the Aon Swing 5 after a tie for third at the Sony Open, followed by Patrick Fishburn, Adam Schenk and Jackson Suber, each who finished T6 at the Sony Open. (The Aon Next 10 for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational was determined via the 2024 FedExCup Fall standings.)

COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 UPDATES: With his victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Nick Taylormoved to No. 2 on the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10, behind only The Sentry winner Hideki Matsuyama. Colombia’s Nico Echavarria vaulted to No. 5 with a runner-up at the Sony Open, behind Collin Morikawa (No. 3) and Sungjae Im (No. 4). The top 10 players on the FedExCup Regular Season standings, finalized after the Wyndham Championship, will earn bonus money via the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10.


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    Nick Taylor wins in a playoff at Sony Open


    FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points.

    COURSE: Three courses will once again be in use for The American Express.

    • Pete Dye Stadium Course: 7,210 yards, par 72
    • La Quinta Country Club: 7,060 yards, par 72
    • Nicklaus Tournament Course: 7,147 yards, par 72

    Players will rotate across the three venues from Thursday through Saturday, followed by a 54-hole cut to the top 65 players and ties. The final round will be played at the Pete Dye Stadium Course, which features a bevy of memorable holes down the stretch including the 600-yard, par-5 16th – guarded by a deep bunker that flanks the green’s left side – and the 165-yard, island-green par-3 17th. Overall, The American Express is known for low scores, with an average winning total of 26-under across the last six iterations. The field is greeted with a desert landscape and player-friendly conditions in accordance with the pro-am format.

    72-HOLE RECORD: 259, Nick Dunlap (2024)

    18-HOLE RECORD: 59, David Duval (Round 5, 1999 at PGA WEST/Palmer), Adam Hadwin (Round 3, 2017 at La Quinta CC); Stadium Course record: 61, Patrick Cantlay (Round 4, 2021); Nicklaus Tournament record: 61, Will Zalatoris (Round 2, 2022), Sam Burns (Round 2, 2024)

    LAST TIME: Nick Dunlap became the first amateur to win on TOUR since 1991, carding a four-round total of 29-under 259 for a one-stroke victory over Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Dunlap, competing as a University of Alabama sophomore, vaulted up the leaderboard with a third-round 60 at La Quinta Country Club, and he held on with a final-round 70 at the Pete Dye Stadium Course, rallying from a double bogey at the par-4 seventh hole with three birdies and no bogeys the rest of the way. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Kevin Yu shared third place at 27-under, two back of Dunlap’s winning total. Dunlap turned pro less than a week after his victory and accepted PGA TOUR membership.

    How to follow (all times ET)

    Television:

    • Thursday-Sunday: 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel)

    PGA TOUR LIVE:

    StreamThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
    Stream 1Main feed: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.Main feed: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.Main feed: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.Main feed: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
    Stream 1
    Featured group: 4-7 p.m.Featured group: 4-7 p.m.Featured group: 4-7 p.m.Featured group: 4-7 p.m.

    Stream 2Marquee group: 1-4 p.m.Marquee group: 1-4 p.m.Marquee group: 12:30-4 p.m.Marquee group: 12:30-4 p.m.
    Stream 2Featured group: 4-7 p.m.Featured group: 4-7 p.m.Featured group: 4-7 p.m.Featured group: 4-7 p.m.
    Stream 3Featured groups: 12:15-4 p.m.Featured groups: 12:15-4 p.m.Featured groups: 12:15-4 p.m.Featured groups: 12:15-4 p.m.
    Stream 3Featured holes: 4-7 p.m.Featured holes: 4-7 p.m.Featured holes: 4-7 p.m.Featured holes: 4-7 p.m.
    Stream 4Featured holes: 12:15-4 p.m.Featured holes: 12:15-4 p.m.Featured holes: 12:15-4 p.m.Featured holes: 12:15-4 p.m.
    Stream 4Featured hole: 4-7 p.m.Featured hole: 4-7 p.m.Featured hole: 4-7 p.m.Featured hole: 4-7 p.m.

    PGA TOUR LIVE is available exclusively on ESPN+

    • Main feed: Primary tournament-coverage featuring the best action from across the course.
    • Marquee group: New “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group.
    • Featured groups: Traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups.
    • Featured holes: Combination of par 3s and iconic or pivotal holes.
    • Thursday-Friday: 1-7 p.m.
    • Saturday-Sunday: 2-7 p.m.

    Kevin Prise is an associate editor for the PGA TOUR. He is on a lifelong quest to break 80 on a course that exceeds 6,000 yards and to see the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl. Follow Kevin Prise on Twitter.

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