Cantlay, The American Express’ runner-up last year, is the PGA TOUR’s reigning
FedExCup champion and Player of the Year
LA QUINTA, CALIF. – Patrick Cantlay, the PGA TOUR’s 2021 FedExCup champion and Player of the Year, has committed to play at The American Express from Jan. 20-23. The Long Beach, Calif. native and UCLA product led all golfers with four PGA TOUR wins in the 2020-21 season.
Cantlay, ranked No. 4 in the world, enjoyed a banner year on TOUR in 2020-21 in winning four of his six PGA TOUR titles. He nearly won a fifth time last season while playing The American Express. He shot a PGA WEST Stadium Course-record 11-under-par 61 in the final round that earned him a runner-up finish with a score of 22-under 266, one stroke behind tournament champion Si Woo Kim. Cantlay impressively recorded 20 birdies over his final 36 holes at The American Express last year.
Making his fourth appearance at The American Express, Cantlay will play alongside a field of 156 professionals and 156 amateurs which includes World No. 1 and 2018 tournament champion Jon Rahm and tournament host, 2002 and 2004 champion and World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson, who won his sixth major championship and 45th PGA TOUR title at the 2021 PGA Championship.
Cantlay began his winning ways last season at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP before claiming the Jack Nicklaus-hosted Memorial Tournament for the second time in three years and the last two events of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs – the BMW Championship and the TOUR Championship – over the summer.
The American Express also received new playing commitments from:
- 12-time PGA TOUR winner and 2015 PGA Championship winner Jason Day, who is set to make his first appearance at The American Express.
- 10-time PGA TOUR winner Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open and 2018 PGA TOUR FedExCup champion who last played The American Express in 2019 as the world’s top-ranked golfer.
- World No. 17 Abraham Ancer, the top-ranked Mexican golfer who placed runner-up at The American Express in 2020 and T5 last year.
- Two-time PGA TOUR champion and World No. 26 Sungjae Im, South Korea’s top-ranked golfer who is No. 3 in the 2021-22 PGA TOUR FedExCup standings and has placed top-12 at The American Express in each of the past three years.
All ticket options for The American Express are on sale at the tournament’s website, www.theamexgolf.com.
“Patrick came so close to pulling off what would have been an amazing final-round comeback win at The American Express in 2021, and we’re delighted that he is returning to try to capture the title,” said Pat McCabe, Executive Director of The American Express. “We appreciate Southern California golfers who support our event, and Patrick should be a popular fan draw. Additionally, the merits of Jason Day, Justin Rose, Abraham Ancer and Sungjae Im continue to trend our field into perhaps our strongest in recent years.”
Among the PGA TOUR’s longest-tenured tournaments and approaching its 63rd edition this month, 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 plays across PGA WEST’s Stadium Course (host venue) and Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club from Thursday, Jan. 20 to Saturday, Jan. 22. The final round is played exclusively on the PGA WEST Stadium Course on Sunday, Jan. 23.
The American Express Concert Series returns for its fifth year (since 2017) with two prominent and popular musical acts. Iconic Los Angeles pop rock band Maroon 5 will open the Concert Series after the conclusion of second-round play on Friday, Jan. 21, with heralded American country musician and songwriter Brad Paisley taking the stage after the tournament’s third round on Saturday, Jan. 22. The PGA WEST Stadium Course driving range makes for a great open-air concert atmosphere under the evening stars.