The American Express: A Birdie-Filled Comeback for World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler!
In a thrilling start to the 2026 season, Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer, made a remarkable comeback in his first tournament appearance this year at The American Express in California. With an early surge of birdies, he shot an impressive 63 in the opening round, where low scores dominated the leaderboard.
The PGA Tour's second tournament of the season features a 156-player field competing across three diverse courses in La Quinta. After a 54-hole cut on Saturday, the final round will take place on the renowned Pete Dye Stadium Course.
Scheffler, fresh from a tied-fourth finish at the Hero World Challenge in December, where he won six times on tour in 2025, including major victories at the PGA Championship and The Open, wasted no time in making his presence felt. He birdied five of his first six holes, signaling a strong return to form.
But here's where it gets interesting...
Playing on the La Quinta Country Club course, Scheffler continued his birdie spree, adding another at the par-four eighth to reach the turn in 30. His hot streak continued with more birdies at the 12th, 13th, and 17th, where he chipped in from the rough around the green. This impressive round of 63 left him just one shot behind co-leaders Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody, who finished at 10 under with rounds of 62.
Scheffler, like the leading duo, managed to keep bogeys off his card all day, and his nine-under total was his personal best in 19 career rounds at this tournament.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, playing on the Nicklaus Tournament Course, also shot a remarkable 63.
MacIntyre, coming off a strong finish at the season-opener in Hawaii, birdied his first five holes on Thursday, starting from the 10th. Despite a bogey at the par-five 15th, he finished with a solid 31 on the back nine, capping his round with a birdie at the ninth.
The Nicklaus course was a birdie-fest, with 70 players finishing at five under par or better, and 130 players under par overall. However, only two golfers managed to shoot 62 - Australian Min Woo Lee and American Pierceson Coody.
Woo Lee, starting from the 10th, birdied five holes on each side of the turn, while Coody's round ignited from the 11th with an incredible streak of seven consecutive birdies.
And this is where the competition intensifies...
Coody's back nine performance was exceptional, shooting 29 to match Woo Lee's benchmark.
Scheffler and MacIntyre were joined by seven other players at nine under, including notable names like Jason Day, Patrick Cantlay, and Ben Griffin. However, Day's 63 on the Stadium Course, considered the toughest of the three courses this week, was particularly noteworthy.
England's Jordan Smith and Matt Wallace also impressed, shooting eight-under 64 and six-under, respectively.
But not everyone found the low-scoring trend so easy. Justin Rose struggled to a level-par round, finishing tied 131st after a double-bogey at the par-three seventh on the La Quinta Country Club course.
American Brian Harman had a day to forget, mistakenly hitting an amateur's ball in his group from the fairway into the 10th, incurring a two-shot penalty. This led to a double-bogey, and his woes continued at the 11th with another double-bogey after finding the water.
Controversy Alert: Is the Stadium Course truly the most challenging?
As the tournament progresses, the question arises: Is the Stadium Course genuinely the most challenging, or did Day's exceptional performance skew our perception?
Don't miss any of the action at The American Express! Catch every round live on Sky Sports Golf, with Friday's coverage starting at 4.30 pm. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LPGA Tour on NOW.
