American Express R1: Relentless Scheffler shoots 63 in return to action
The American Express leaderboard: Scottie Scheffler picked up right where he left off on his first start of the new PGA Tour season.
Pos | Player | Total |
T1 | Min Woo Lee | -10 |
T1 | Pierceson Coody | -10 |
T3 | Vince Whaley | -9 |
T3 | Si Woo Kim | -9 |
T3 | Scottie Scheffler | -9 |
T3 | S.H. Kim | -9 |
T3 | Robert MacIntyre | -9 |
T3 | Jason Day | -9 |
T3 | Matt McCarty | -9 |
T3 | Patrick Cantlay | -9 |
T3 | Ben Griffin | -9 |
Scottie Scheffler is only one stroke off the lead after the first round of The American Express.
Making his first start of the PGA Tour season, the world number one picked up right where he left off and fired a flawless nine-under 63.
He trails compatriot Pierceson Coody and Australia's Min Woo Lee by one stroke.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, England's Jordan Smith and former world number one Jason Day are also inside the top-10.
Scheffler, 30, birdied six of his first nine holes at La Quinta Country Club to turn in 30. He added more circles to his card at 12, 13 and 17.
He showed a few signs of rust but is already the overwhelming favourite to clinch 20th PGA Tour title.
Should he get over the line, it will bring him lifetime membership.
"I got off to a good start today I was really sharp on the front nine," Scheffler said. "Made some nice putts. Hit some good iron shots.
"A lot of good tee balls. I wasn't as sharp as I hoped to be on the back nine, but I scrambled pretty well and I was able to post a good score."
Scheffler missed only one green in regulation all day, at the par-four 17th, but still chipped in for a birdie.
The reigning player of the year enters 2026 off the back of another remarkable campaign that saw him win six titles.
He captured his third major championship title at the PGA Championship and added his fourth at The Open.
Scheffler also won the Memorial, CJ Cup Byron Nelson, BMW Championship and Procore Championship.
A disappointing Ryder Cup performance - in which he became the first world number one to lose his opening four matches - was the only blemish of his year.
Elsewhere, Will Zalatoris played his first round on the PGA Tour in eight months.
Zalatoris enjoyed a breakout 2022 season and was a force in the major championships over a two-year period, but has struggled with a back injury that required disc replacement surgery.
He fired a seven-under 65 on the same course as Scheffler.
Each player at The American Express plays 18 holes at La Quinta, Pete Dye Stadium Course and Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West.
The final round is played at the Pete Dye Stadium Course. The winner receives $1,656,000.
In This Article
Ben Smith joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.