2024 American Express: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

The third event on the 2024 PGA Tour calendar! Yes, we are talking about the American Express that the golf world is set to witness on January 18. Moreover, the tournament would be hosted across three diverse courses on the PGA West grounds in La Quinta, California. Besides, it is an extremely anticipated event on the men’s circuit.

The tourney would boast a field of 156 players battling it out on the greens for a cut of the $8.4 million prize purse. However, what would intrigue the community the most would be the details of the golfers, or, to be precise, the people who have the most chance to lift the trophy at the event!

The hype is indubitably building up as the group of players gears up to duke it out on the field. The professionals who were part of the top 125 in last season’s FedEx list through the fall, past winners except for 2023 champion and current LIV golfer Jon Rahm, and 22 of the 50 players in the OWGR, among others, would be gracing the field. Despite such a strong line-up, there would undoubtedly be some fan favorites among the same.

1. Scottie Scheffler: The topmost-ranked golfer in the world at the moment, Scheffler has been occupying the No. 1 spot since March 2022. A win in December at the Hero World Challenge helped him rake in a total of seventeen top-10 finishes in 2023. Moreover, he added yet another top-10 placement to his numbers during the Sentry when he finished T5. The six-time PGA Tour champ would be looking to open his win count for the season while increasing his total tally to seven. A truly talented golfer on the course, the 27-year-old is a fan favorite at the upcoming event.

2. Xander Schauffele: The American athlete has already proved himself to be a reckoning force on the greens in 2023 with a total of 11 top-10 finishes, with the last one coming off at the TOUR Championship in August, where he finished as a runner-up. However, he was also able to finish in 10th place in the recently ended Sentry at the Plantation Course in Kapalua. Currently placed 5th on the world rankings, a win would help the professional broaden the gap between the others below him. His eyes would surely be on the cup!

3. Patrick Cantlay: Fresh off a T12 finish at the Sentry, the current No.6 on the OWGR would be hoping to replicate his stats in 2023 or even outperform himself. With a total of 10 top-10 finishes in 2023 on the men’s circuit, the last one being at the season-ending TOUR Championship, where he finished T5, followed by a remarkable performance at the Ryder Cup, bagging two wins, he was one of the top performers of the previous season. Nevertheless, he would be looking to increase his tally of wins on the PGA Tour to nine as the 31-year-old takes on the field at the American Express.

4. Chris Kirk: The 2024 Sentry winner had an amazing start to the year, raking in his second win inside the 52-week ranking window, allowing him to jump to the 23rd spot on the OWGR. He had finished the year with a total of 4 top-10 placements, followed by a win and a T18 in January at the Sentry and the Sony Open, respectively. The 38-year-old would be hoping to carry forward his momentum and claim another win for himself on the PGA Tour—his seventh, to be exact.

5. Justin Thomas: Although it would be the 30-year-old’s first event in 2024, he is undoubtedly a favorite among the fans to win the tournament. A T3 finish at the Hero World Challenge in December and a T4 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on the DP World Tour are more than enough proof of his talent on the course. Well, the current No. 28 on the OWGR and 15-time PGA Tour champ would be looking for yet another accolade to his name this week.

The three-way challenge at the American Express

The golfers would be playing at each of the courses over the days of play. The three layouts include the Pete Dye Stadium Course, the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, and La Quinta Country Club. The par-72 Stadium course has been designed by Pete Dye, as the name suggests, and boasts an “ultimate golf experience.” Meanwhile, the Golden Bear was the mind behind the design of one of Palm Springs’s best layouts. What’s more, the Tournament Course boasts elevated greens, requiring golfers to challenge themselves and raise their short game to a higher level.

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Lastly, the La Quinta Country Club is a tighter, well-bunkered ground, with the professionals being able to test their limits on the same. Not your “typical desert course,” the 18 holes have proven to be entertaining to many elites, including the likes of monarchs, presidents, and celebrities. All in all, the golf world is set for an amazing weekend!

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