Scottie Scheffler sent out an ominous early-season warning to his rivals after cruising to victory at The American Express in his first start of the year.
The World No.1, who had to wait until May’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson for the first of his six wins last year, was well set ahead of the final round at PGA West’s Stadium Course, tied for second with Blades Brown on 21 under and one behind Si Woo Kim.
For the South Korean, it opened up a golden opportunity for his fifth PGA Tour win, but he must have had a restless evening ahead of the final round knowing Scheffler was hot on his heels.
Despite a strong start with a birdie at the second, Kim’s challenge unravelled with a bogey at the sixth, a double bogey at the seventh, and another bogey at the ninth before he eventually placed T6.
There were no such early problems for Scheffler, a bogey at the second aside. Despite that setback, he soon began his charge with five birdies on the front nine to give him the lead at the turn. He never looked like relinquishing control.
Scheffler’s one-shot lead was doubled at the 11th when he made no mistake with a short birdie putt, and before long that was three when closest rival Andrew Putnam bogeyed the 13th.
Even at that point, there was an air of inevitability about the outcome, but the manner in which Scheffler powered even further clear must have worried the big-name opponents he will face in the months to come.
Scheffler’s seventh birdie of the day came at the 12th after a sublime approach got him to around two feet from the pin. That stretched his lead to four, and two holes later, it became five with another short putt for birdie as it became a matter of how many Scheffler would win by, not whether he would.
With Scheffler’s ninth birdie of the day at the 16th, his lead grew to six as he drew level with 2024 champion Nick Dunlap on a tournament record of 29 under.
Given Scheffler’s form, it looked a near certainty that Dunlap’s record would go, but that was before he inexplicably sent his tee shot at the 17th into the water to the right of the island green.
His third shot found its intended target, but after failing to make his bogey putt, Scheffler was left to settle for his first double-bogey of the week.
Typically, that would spell disaster at such a late stage of a tournament, but not when Scheffler’s lead was reduced to a still commanding four with a hole to play, meaning the American could simply brush it off and stride to the 18th.
After two shots, Scheffler was at the back of the green, while playing partner, sponsor’s exemption Brown, who was at that stage in a tie for 13th, was eyeing a birdie for a top-10 finish and a place in the Farmers Insurance Open field.
After the other player in the group, Si Woo Kim, missed a long birdie chance to move to T2, Brown stepped up, but couldn’t end a brilliant week on a high, finishing with a bogey.
1 start. 1 win. 🏆Scottie Scheffler dominates @TheAmExGolf with a 4-shot victory! pic.twitter.com/6x3E2pa7CVJanuary 25, 2026
That left the stage clear for Scheffler, three feet from the hole following his third, to rubber-stamp his win with a par. He made no mistake to claim his maiden American Express title and 20th of his PGA Tour career.
Following his win, Scheffler offered his assessment of his latest achievement, saying: "Yeah, it means a lot. It was a challenging week. I did a good job of staying patient and executing when I needed to. It was another really solid day out on the course."
The American Express Leaderboard
- 1st -27 Scottie Scheffler
- T2 -23 Jason Day
- T2 -23 Ryan Gerard
- T2 -23 Matt McCarty
- T2 -23 Andrew Putnam
- T6 -22 Sam Stevens
- T6 -22 Si Woo Kim
- T8 -21 Sahith Theegala
- T8 -21 Haotong Li
- T8 -21 Russell Henley
- T8 -21 Austin Smotherman
- T8 -21 Tom Hoge
Updates from...
THE BACK NINE BEGINS
After the front nine, it's Scottie Scheffler who leads by two strokes following a four-under-par 32. Opening with a birdie-bogey start, the World No.1 has found four birdies in six holes to be 25-under for the tournament.
In pursuit of Scheffler is Ryan Gerard, who is seven-under for his round through 13 and 23-under for the tournament. Alongside the American is Andrew Putnam, who is four-under for his round through 10 and also 23-under.
SCOTTIE ON FLAMES
For the solo lead 👀Here comes Scottie Scheffler.📺 @PGATOURLIVE on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/xZ6kBQULkxJanuary 25, 2026
BIRDIE FOR PUTNAM
Putnam is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour and, at the 11th, he rolls in a 20-footer to halve Scheffler's advantage, with Putnam moving to 24-under following that birdie.
BIRDIE CHANCE MISSED FOR GERARD
Sitting solo third, Gerard has a great chance to join Putnam at 24-under, but his eight-foot putt at the 14th slides by on the low-slide, with a par keeping him 23-under.
He's a few holes ahead of the leaders, so will want to put down a clubhouse target to put the pressure on Scheffler and Putnam.
HAOTONG LI MOVES TO SOLO FOURTH
It's a chip-in for Haotong Li at the 13th, who now moves to solo forth and is in a great place to secure a big paycheck.
He is one of 10 DP World Tour graduates from last year, and is already making a big move in his early PGA Tour career, sitting 22-under.
ALL OF THIS SINCE 2021...
With nine holes remaining in The American Express, Scottie Scheffler sits alone atop the leaderboard at 25-under, one stroke ahead of Andrew Putnam (thru 11). With a win, Scheffler would become the first player since Rory McIlroy (2021 CJ CUP in South Carolina) to reach 20 career…January 25, 2026
JASON DAY ENJOYING A GREAT TOURNAMENT
Making his first start of 2026, Jason Day is enjoying a fine start to the year, with a birdie at the par 4 15th moving him to seven-under for the day and 22-under for the tournament. He is now tied fourth alongside Li and three back of Scheffler, who has found the fairway at the par 5 11th.
SCOTTIE JUST MISSES THE GREEN AT THE 11TH
Following a great drive, Scheffler plays an equally great fairway wood to the right-edge of the green, with it rolling down the bank and finishing in the collection area.
It's a perfect leave for the World No. 1, who should have a relatively straightforward up-and-down coming up for birdie at the par 5.
NEAR CHIP IN
I said it was a straightforward chip and, at the 11th, Scheffler nearly jars it in the hole for an eagle. He should tap-in for the birdie, which would put him 26-under and two clear.
SCHEFFLER DOUBLES LEAD
As predicted, Scheffler makes no mistake with his short birdie putt at the 11th, and a one-shot advantage over Andrew Putnam becomes two.
SLIP-UP FROM PUTNAM
Scheffler's lead is now three after Andrew Putnam makes his second bogey of the day at the 13th. There are now three trying to close that gap, Putnam, Jason Day and Ryan Gerard, but this is increasingly starting to look like Scheffler's to lose - and history tells us that's not likely.
GREAT SCOTTIE!
And right on cue, Scheffler all-but guarantees that lead goes to four with a beautiful second shot at the par-4 12th, which lands to two feet or so of the hole. He's going to go to 27 under imminently, surely leaving the contenders scratching their heads as to just what they can do to pull this around.
Ball-striking machine 😮💨Scottie Scheffler's seventh birdie of the day gives him a three-shot lead @TheAmExGolf.📺 Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/R4vtgUkc90January 25, 2026
WATER WOE FOR RYAN
Ryan Gerard briefly gave Scheffler something to worry about (sort of), closing the gap to three with a birdie at the 15th, but any hope he had of a very late surge look like being scuppered as he finds the water at the 16th.
SCOTTIE DOMINANCE
Reminder: It took Scottie Scheffler until May to win in 2025, and he still ended up dominating proceedings with six titles. This year, it looks like he'll get off the mark in the very first month.
SUBLIME FROM SCHEFFLER
A delicate and beautifully judged chip onto the green at the 13th sees Scheffler very nearly make an unlikely birdie. How close? Well, he has his arm up in anticipation of seeing the ball disappear. It fails to by a whisker, but he makes par and moves on.
Sometimes they just don't drop, Scottie.📺 Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/UAcj0tWBykJanuary 25, 2026
STEADY FROM PUTNAM
Jason Day is back in the clubhouse at 23 under after his round of 64. On the same score is Andrew Putnam, who, at the 15th, is probably already turning his thoughts to securing second rather than pushing it and trying to catch runaway leader Scheffler.
He rolls a 35-putt to around three feet and should make par.
SCOTTIE RELENTLESS
Scottie Scheffler has won a lot of golf tournaments over the last four years, with 19 on the PGA Tour to be exact, but The American Express is not among them.
That's unlikely to be the case within the next hour or so, as he continues turning the screw. Now at the 14th, his approach goes to within five feet, and he'll have a great chance of his eighth birdie of the day.
BLADES STILL SHARP
Scheffler's playing parner Blades Brown has also hung in there today. Ever since a double bogey at the fifth, he's not looked like winning, but a birdie at the 14th moves him to 21 under, six behind Scheffler. That becomes seven moments later when Scottie makes his birdie putt. His closest challengers are now five behind.
PAR FOR SCOTTIE
At the 15th, Scheffler has a 20-footer for birdie. Can he make it and take the lead to six? No. It comes up just short and he makes par. He remains on 28 under.
STATE OF PLAY
Just the three holes left now between Scheffler and his 20th PGA Tour win. Next up, it's a par 5 with a great chance to increase his lead of five. Of the players on 23 under, only Andrew Putnam is out on the course, Jason Day and Ryan Gerard having completed their rounds.
In other words, Scheffler has this as good as sewn up, barring an all-time capitulation.
NOT QUITE FOR PUTNAM
Andrew Putnam has the chance to close the gap to four on Scheffler, but his birdie putt at the 16th never looks like dropping and the chance goes.
SCHEFFLER MARCHES ON
After a wait, Scheffler is ready to take his second at the par-5 15th. It stops just in front of the green, and he'll be eyeing another birdie - and perhaps even an eagle - in a few minutes.
SOLID FROM PUTNAM
Andrew Putnam makes another par at the 17th to remain on 23 under, five behind the leader. He's not going to get his first PGA Tour win since the 2018 Barracuda Championship, but he'll be satisfied with his week's work.
SHEFFLER LEADS BY SIX
Scheffler's eagle chance at the 16th narrowly misses, but that leaves yet another birdie for the leader and he stretches the lead to six with two to play.
That leaves him on 29 under and level with Nick Dunlap's scoring record at the tournament. Frankly, it'd be a surprise if he doesn't break it.
SCHEFFLER FINDS THE WATER!
Well, well, well - he is human after all. At the 17th, Scheffler finds the water to the right of the island green, and suddenly Nick Dunlap's scoring record looks that bit safer. It won't affect the destination of the title, but that's about the only flaws in Scheffler's game we've seen all day.
He finds the green with his third to leave a chance of getting away with a bogey.
DOUBLE-BOGEY FOR SCHEFFLER
Scheffler's long bogey putt at the 17th misses and he cleans up with his first double bogey of the week. Ordinarily, that would be a disaster at this stage of proceedings, but in Scheffler's case, it just means he strides to the 18th leading by four, rather than six.
GO ON, BLADES!
Blades Brown has had the privilege of partnering Scottie Scheffler today, and he's hung in there. However, he's currently T13 on 20 under and really needs a birdie at the last to finish in the top 10 and a place in the Farmers Insurance Open.
His approach is good and he has a real chance....
SCHEFFLER ALMOST THERE
Scheffler's second at the 18th takes a roundabout route to the back of the green, but that won't bother him. He's minutes away from his 20th PGA Tour title now.
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE AMERICAN EXPRESS!
Blades Brown narrowly misses his birdie putt, eventually finishing with a bogey, while Si Woo Kim wraps up his challenge with a par. That leaves Scheffler to wrap things up with his par putt from three feet, which he does and Scottie Scheffler wins The American Express!
