PGA Odds, Picks And Props For 2026 The American Express

Following last week’s Sony Open and Sunday surge to victory by longshot Chris Gotterup (70/1), the PGA Tour West Coast swing heads to La Quinta, CA for 2026 The American Express. I chip-in more extensive coverage for BetOnline, and will add more as BOL posts and updates.

A total of 156 players tee it up starting Jan. 22 including 8 of the top 13 and 11 of the world’s Top 25 players in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). A first-place prize of $1.65 million from a purse of $9.2 million has more top players competing at the Pro-Am event this year including World No. 1 and reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler. 

He’s the prohibitive favorite (3/1), but hardly worth a wager with a best finish of 3rd at the event over six starts.

Golf Courses

• Pete Dye Stadium Course – 7,210 yards, Par 72 (2 rounds including Sunday)
• Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course – 7,147 yards, Par 72 
• La Quinta Country Club – 7,060 yards, Par 72

I’ll add more updates and information you can bet on after the tournament starts and preview posted at BOL. 

Odds to Win 2026 The American Express

Leading favorites and contenders golf odds from BetOnline refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live/in-game betting. Odds adjust during and following rounds. World Top 25 noted (*).

• +325: Scottie Scheffler* 
• +2500: Ben Griffin*, Robert McIntyre*
• +2800: Russell Henley*, Ludvig Aberg*, Si Woo Kim
• +3300: Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns*
• +4000: Matt Fitzpatrick*
• +4500: Harry Hall
• +5000: Sepp Straka*, Taylor Pendrith
• +5500: Kurt Kitayama, Daniel Berger, Ryan Gerard
• +6000: Alex Noren*, Michael Thorbjornsen
• +7000: Min Woo Lee, Rasmus Hojgaard
• +7000: Denny McCarthy, Rico Hoey
• +8000: Davis Thompson, Harris English*, Akshay Bhatia
• +8000: Rickie Fowler, J.T. Poston, Nick Taylor, P. Coody
• +9000: Adam Scott, Justin Rose*, Patrick Rodgers
• +10000: Day, Zalatoris, Greyserman, Mitchell
• +10000: McCarty, Smalley, Bezuidenhout
• +11000: Homa, Harman, Theegala, Kirk, Brennan

72-hole winning score: Over/Under 261.5 (Par 72)

These players finished top 15 in The American Express event last year, and return. 

• Straka (winner), Day, Cantlay, Griffin, Greyserman, Smalley, Zalatoris, Taylor, Poston

Winning scores over the past 6 years: -25, -29, -27, -23, -23, -26

I have some player profiles as well added to 2026 The American Express picks and props, and just some select information for now.

How To Understand Golf Betting Statistics And Strokes Gained

Strokes gained data is not available at the Nicklaus Tournament Course or at La Quinta CC.

2026 The American Express Picks

Fairway’s Favorites: Griffin, Cantlay, Si Woo Kim, Burns
Fairway’s Longshots: Taylor, Smalley, Harman, Zalatoris, Cauley

Tournament Matchups: Si Woo Kim (-115) over Straka (-1.5 strokes)

A tournament matchup winner last week at the Sony Open.

Si Woo Kim – A winner of this event in 2021 and two other top 11 finishes, the 30-year-old Globe Trotter and President’s Cup player finished the last fall strong including three top 5 finishes to qualify for the 2026 Masters. He’s on the rise again off a T11 last week at the Sony Open where his stats were top 3 in SG: Off-the-Tee, Approach and Tee-to-Green. Note that two of his four PGA Tour wins came on Pete Dye-designed courses and all four on Bermudagrass with another runner-up playoff loss at Harbour Town (Dye). Kim thrives on shorter courses with his strong approach play and GIR, and he led the field in Greens in Regulation in his victory here in 2021. Only his sub-par putting is holding him back from top 25 ranking. 

Ben Griffin – Few rose faster and higher than 29-year-old Ben Griffin last year. He started 2025 ranked No. 68 in the world, and enters The American Express No. 8 following a top 20 finish in last week’s Sony Open. Griffin is the only player in the field with two top 10 finishes in this event the past two years. Much of that success is driven by his strong shorter approach play, and his gaudy +2.37 strokes gained Putting in six career rounds on the Stadium Course.

Next week it’s the Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, CA, where the top PGA pros fire for pars and birdies on the Torrey Pines North Course and very long South Course.

Golf Betting Notes and History from FairwayJay

My golf coverage and research includes use and references from sites at Golf Stats along with Fantasy National, and Data Golf. I gain added information from handicappers, analysts, colleagues and media members while researching course stats and previews with weekly coverage in my PGA tournament updates in Forbess. That includes top golf insider Justin Ray Golf, who contributes to PGA Tour (dot com) and The Athletic with insightful stats. The site GolfStats has also has player performance charts and a player competitor tool plus added stats and previews.

I’ve added my own player profiles pieces for select majors and events and you can review those from 2024 for The Player Championship and Masters top 9 and top 18 golfers plus 12 top golfers at the Open Championship at Royal Troon.

2022 PGA Tour tournament match-up picks finished 20-12 and concluded with the TOUR Championship.

The 2021 tournament match-ups finished 21-15 following a 17-5 start January through May.