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Fantasy Golf: How to pick The American Express PGA this weekend

By Benjamin Main

LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: A general view of the 18th green during the final round of The American Express tournament at the Stadium Course at PGA West on January 19, 2020 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: A general view of the 18th green during the final round of The American Express tournament at the Stadium Course at PGA West on January 19, 2020 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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The American Express PGA is sure to bring some early calendar excitement to the world of Fantasy Golf.

The Tour shifts from Hawaii to California for the West Coast swing. The American Express, Formerly the Desert Classic, formerly the Career Builder Challenge, will be played at two courses. The Jack Nicholas Tournament Course, and the Stadium Course at PGA West. Two courses means a 36-hole cut instead of the typical 54-hole cut when this event was played with 3 courses and as a Pro-AM. No Pro-Am this year due to COVID.

The two courses play similar to one another. Both are par-72 and under 7,200 yards. The Stadium Course typically plays the most difficult, but scores can occasionally rotate in a given year. We are staying on Bermudagrass again this week, and the greens will be over sewn with Poa, although this may be too early for the Poa to be fully budding (I am far from an agronomist, but that is what I am told).

Andrew Landry fought off a charge by Abe Ancer to win the 2020 AMEX at 26-under. Adam Long hit a huge putt in a playoff over Phil Mickleson and Adam Hadwin to win the 2019 tournament at 26-under par. The 2018 edition of the Desert Classic saw Jon Rahm outlast Andrew Landry in a playoff. Rahm fired a 10-under in the 1st round at La Quinta Country Club, and shot a -22 for the tournament. Hudson Swafford won in 2017 with a 20-under, and Jason Dufner took home the trophy in 2016 shooting a -25.

Scores will be low. Not as low as the Pro-Am format due to course constraints to keep the amateurs from crying. The strength of this field is usually lacking, but we will have a solid showing this week. A healthy number of top-25 golfers in the world will tee it up this week, including previous winner Jon Rahm.

In order to win this week, golfers will have to go low. The winner is likely going to be in the -20’s, due to the stronger competition that we should see this week. The unique aspect of this tournament is the fact that 2 courses are in play and we only have data on the Stadium Course. So you can focus on all the data you want, but recent form and course history will be what you want to focus on. I will be focusing on golfers who were able to shake off the rust in Hawaii and have experience on this course.

Key Stats

  • Approach Gained
  • Tee to green Gained
  • Birdie or Better Gained
  • Par 5’s gained
  • Bermuda Putting Gained
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