The American Express 2026 promised fireworks from golf’s biggest stars, but some of them didn’t show up when it mattered most. Five well-known players started Sunday with a good chance of winning the title, but they fell short at PGA West. Fans were left wondering what could have happened in La Quinta after their final-round collapses.

Top Stories

Scottie Scheffler Joins Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus With Remarkable $9.2M PGA Tour Event Victory

‘Unreal’: Amanda Balionis Left Stunned by Scottie Scheffler at The American Express

American Express 2026: Prize Money Breakdown and Winner’s Payout

Patrick Reed Willing to End Rory McIlroy Feud Using Bizarre Measure Years After ‘Tee-Gate’

Scottie Scheffler Shows Frustration After Missing Crucial Putt at The American Express

Max Homa

Max Homa was a fan favorite and a California golf expert when he entered The American Express. People expected him to do well at a course where low scores are required. The six-time PGA Tour winner had a good start to the week, but his first rounds kept him behind instead of in front.

Homa played rounds that showed hints of his usual consistency, but he never quite got the big scores he needed at PGA West. He showed good ball-striking as he moved around the courses and was able to stay in the mix heading into the weekend, hovering around the -17 mark.

Considering his background and the expectations for his game, his final position of T27 (-17) was a big letdown. Homa couldn’t make the magic happen on Sunday at the Pete Dye Stadium Course to move up the leaderboard. The stress of chasing full leaderboards was too much, and his dream of moving to California slipped away in the heat of the desert.

Billy Horschel

Billy Horschel was a seasoned pro and former FedEx Cup champion when he entered The American Express. He was expected to work hard and put himself in the running. He played solid golf for three rounds, with scores of 64, 69, and 72, which kept him well below par and in the hunt at -17 (271). But his last round didn’t live up to that early promise, and he fell down the leaderboard when it mattered most on Sunday.

The overall score was still good, but his failure to move up in the final round fell short of what people expected from him.

Horschel has played in big events before, but his last day at AmEx wasn’t as good as his strong play earlier in the week. It was disappointing for a player of his level not take advantage of his position after three rounds.

Wyndham Clark

Wyndham Clark came to The American Express with a lot of hype, as he is one of the top players on the PGA Tour. Fans thought he would do well again because he was tied for first place at -20 after three rounds of steady golf.

But his last round didn’t live up to that promise, and by Sunday, he was lower on the leaderboard. It was clear through the first 54 holes that Clark could be a contender in California on the weekend, but he didn’t play well when the pressure was at its highest, which was disappointing compared to what people expected.

People hoped that Clark would move closer to the title in the last round, given how good he was. Instead, a dull Sunday made him feel his AmEx campaign was a missed opportunity rather than a breakthrough.

Rickie Fowler

Rickie Fowler, one of golf’s most famous players and a fan favorite every year, entered The American Express hoping to do well in the new season. He was doing well through three rounds, with scores of 67, 63, and 71, and he stayed in the running, reminding fans of his talent.

But in the last round, he fell back, leaving the leaderboard without the surge that many people thought a big-name player like him would bring. Fowler’s performance on Sunday didn’t live up to the promise of his first three rounds, which disappointed those who thought he would make a late push.

Fowler was among the names many people thought would fight for top honors because of his experience and profile. Fans of his game were frustrated that he couldn’t turn that strong start into a final push.

Patrick Cantlay

Patrick Cantlay arrived at The American Express as one of the most reliable players in the field and a strong title contender. Cantlay was in a good position to make a serious run for the lead on Sunday after three rounds of steady golf, including a strong showing that left him around -20 through 54 holes. A lot of people thought he would move up the leaderboard on the last day because of his past performance and experience.

Instead, he had a weak final round that put him in T13 at -20, so he couldn’t make the kind of charge fans were hoping for. What looked like a chance to get closer to the top slipped away, making his Sunday a frustrating end to a week that had been going well.

Scottie Scheffler’s impressive four-shot win at 27-under will go down in history as another chapter in his amazing time at the top of golf. The American Express 2026 will also be remembered for the big names who couldn’t come through when it counted.

Homa, Horschel, Clark, Fowler, and Cantlay all had a real chance to win on Sunday, but the California sun took away their chances. These five players left La Quinta with nothing but regrets and what-ifs, whether it was nerves in the final round, bad execution, or just being outclassed by Scheffler’s skill.