Nick Dunlap Defends Title at 2025 American Express PGA Tour Event

LA QUINTA, Calif. — The 2025 PGA TOUR season continues with The American Express, the second full-field event of the season and the first of the West Coast Swing. The tournament, held in California‘s Coachella Valley, features a three-course rotation with a cut after the third round. Defending champion Nick Dunlap returns to La Quinta to defend his title after becoming the first amateur to win on the PGA TOUR since 1991.

The event, which tees off Thursday, Jan. 16, will see a star-studded field, including Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, and Justin Thomas. The tournament returns to the Pro-Am format, with three par-72 courses in rotation. The Stadium Course at PGA West, recently restored, will host the final round on Sunday.

Dunlap, who won last year with a record-breaking 29-under-par finish, faces stiff competition from eight of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Rankings. However, Xander Schauffele, a top-ranked player, withdrew from the event earlier this week.

The Stadium Course, designed by Pete Dye, underwent a meticulous restoration last fall. The back nine is particularly challenging, featuring the iconic island green on the 17th hole, nicknamed “Alcatraz,” and a water-guarded 18th hole. The course’s new Tif-Eagle Bermuda greens are 20-30% larger, averaging about 7,000 square feet, with restored greenside bunkers closer to the putting surfaces.

Television coverage of The American Express will be available on PGA TOUR LIVE, with streaming options on ESPN+. Fans can also follow the action on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports App, and PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM Channel 92. The winner will take home $1.54 million from an $8.8 million purse.

Last year’s top-10 finishers included Dunlap, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Justin Thomas, and Sam Burns. This year’s field also features notable players like Eric Cole, J.J. Spaun, and Chris Kirk, who are coming off strong performances in recent tournaments.

Golf enthusiasts can place bets on the tournament, with odds available at leading online sportsbooks. Dunlap, despite his amateur status last year, was a 400/1 longshot to win, making his victory one of the most memorable in recent PGA TOUR history.