December 19, 2022
Five of the world’s top seven golfers have committed to playing The American Express taking place January 19-22; All daily ticket options are on sale at www.theamexgolf.com
LA QUINTA, CALIF. – Still four weeks away from tournament, The American Express™ gathers more top-rated talent to its impressive roster of commitments as World No. 5 and 2021 U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm, World No. 7 Will Zalatoris, World No. 13 Sam Burns and World No. 15 Tom Kim stated their intention to play in next month’s 64th edition of The American Express.
Undoubtedly displaying its best collection of highly-ranked players in years, the additions of Rahm, Zalatoris, Burns and Kim to the 2023 field has The American Express sporting five of the top seven, and eight of the top 15, golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The American Express, featuring a record $8 million purse, will showcase 156 professional golfers and 156 amateurs playing at PGA WEST’s Stadium Course (host course) and Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif. from Jan. 19-22. The American Express is the first PGA TOUR regular season event in the continental U.S. each year and kicks off the TOUR’s West Coast swing.
The American Express previously announced playing intentions from World No. 2 and reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, World No. 4 and 2021 PGA TOUR FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay, World No.. 6 Xander Schauffele and World No. 12 Tony Finau.
Rahm, who won The American Express in 2018 as the second of his seven PGA TOUR titles, is returning to make his fifth start at the desert event in the past seven years. He is one of nine event champions represented within The American Express’ 2023 field of early commitments. Joining Rahm in this regard is 2021 tournament champion Si Woo Kim, 2020 champion Andrew Landry, 2019 champion Adam Long, 2016 champion Jason Dufner, two-time winner Bill Haas (2010 and 2015), 2013 champion Brian Gay, 2011 champion Jhonattan Vegas and 2007 champion Charley Hoffman.
“Our high-profile field and top-notch musical entertainment is sure to make quite the sporting and entertainment spectacle for our golf fans in the Coachella Valley and greater Southern California come tournament week,” said Pat McCabe, Executive Director of The American Express. “Though we are still a month away from the first round of The American Express teeing off, our player field is already loaded with more starpower than we have had in recent memory.”
Zalatoris, the 2021 Arnold Palmer Award winner as the PGA TOUR’s Rookie of the Year, returns to The American Express after tying for sixth place in his event debut in 2022. One of the TOUR’s brightest young guns who has been on a fast track to stardom, Zalatoris earned his first PGA TOUR title in the first FedExCup playoff tournament of 2022, the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Zalatoris has three runner-up finishes in major championships (2021 Masters, 2022 PGA Championship, 2022 U.S. Open) since joining the TOUR as a Special Temporary Member in the 2020-21 season.
Burns is coming off of a breakthrough year on the PGA TOUR in 2021-22 as he claimed three of his four TOUR titles and finished No. 3 in the FedExCup regular season standings. It all led to him earning an automatic berth on the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup squad in September. Burns has made three previous starts in The American Express with his best finish a tie for sixth place in 2020.
Kim, the 20-year-old Korean phenom who earned two points in his International Team debut while featuring as the youngest golfer at the 2022 Presidents Cup, may be the hottest propsect on the international golf scene. Kim began his 2022 playing schedule on the Asian Tour ranked No. 132 in the world before his meteoric rise.
Kim joined the PGA TOUR as a Special Temporary Member this past summer and then won his first TOUR title three starts into said membership, shooting a final-round 9-under-par 61 at the Wyndham Championship to become the second youngest PGA TOUR winner since World War II and instantly gain full-time PGA TOUR status and qualify for the FedExCup playoffs. Three starts later, Kim won again – in his 2022-23 PGA TOUR season debut at the Shriners Children’s Open – and became the first player since Tiger Woods in 1996 to win twice on the PGA TOUR before his 21st birthday.
Daily ticket options for The American Express are on sale at the tournament’s website, www.theamexgolf.com. American Express Card Members receive a 20% discount on any online ticket price (terms apply).
Annually, The American Express has become a leading entertainment staple, combining golf and music, in the Coachella Valley. The tournament’s upcoming Concert Series, which returns for its sixth year (after debuting in 2017), will feature a pair of three-time GRAMMY® Award winners with iconic Southern California native Gwen Stefani and singer/songwriter Darius Rucker on the PGA WEST Stadium Course driving range.
Stefani, born and raised in Anaheim; a singer songwriter and charismatic frontwoman of No Doubt, will open The American Express’ Concert Series after the conclusion of second-round play on Friday, Jan. 20. Rucker, who first achieved musical prominence as the lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish and has since become a hugely successful Country artist, will take the stage after the tournament’s third round on Saturday, Jan. 21.
The American Express also continues to be one of the desert region’s most charitable sporting events, giving back to its community. In November, The American Express announced a $1 million charitable donation to 37 local Coachella Valley organizations, bringing the event’s all-time donation to more than $64 million since its inception in 1960 as the Palm Springs Golf Classic.
Follow The American Express on Facebook (www.facebook.com/theamexgolf), Twitter (@TheAmexGolf) and Instagram (@TheAmexGolf).
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