The 2026 American Express in La Quinta is already turning into a wild rollercoaster ride. While world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler leads the pack at 17-under par, 18-year-old Blades Brown is going head-to-head with him. On the other side of the green, though, three big names had to pack their bags early.

After a decent 2-under par 70 start on Thursday, rising star Luke Clanton left the $9.2 million event due to illness before his second round. Clanton missed the cut at the Sony Open last week with a total score of +1. Perhaps, the long travel from Hawaii caused his sudden health crash. But he wasn’t the only one to be struck.

Shortly after, Rico Hoey quit midway through his play, reasoning that he was sick as well. The world No. 71 finished a terrible 5-over par 77 on the Stadium Course during his first day. He tried to fight through it on Friday but only managed a 1-over par through nine holes.

Hoey was also present at the Sony Open last week and finished tied for 50th with a solid 4-under par score. The illness hasn’t been identified yet. However, the defending champion also left the grounds early, this time, due to another reason.

Nick Dunlap finished his round on Friday but walked away with an injury. These sudden exits left the $1.6 million winner’s check less competitive for the remaining players. But the Alabama Ace’s departure hits a little too hard.

Dunlap made history here in 2024 as the first amateur to win a tour event in 33 years. He shot a 29-under par back then to beat every single professional in the star-studded field. That win made him a pro overnight and gave him a golden ticket to the biggest golf tournaments. Sadly, his return to the desert this year felt more like a nightmare than a happy return.

This time, the defending champ struggled with his driver and opened with a painful 77 and sat at 7-over par for the week after two rounds. Turns out, he had already explained his declining performances last year, and it had nothing to do with him.

“Yeah, I think that’s just the PGA TOUR in general, to be honest,” said Dunlap before the Barrcuda Championship in 2025. “I think you’re one good week away from it changing your season and maybe the next couple seasons.”

He recently finished T-61 in Hawaii, but he could not find that same rhythm in the desert. The leaderboard looks very empty without these three talented players fighting for the prize. However, the California desert always has a way of creating a brand new hero in the sand.

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The desert prodigy: Blades Brown rewrites history in the Coachella Valley

With the veterans gone, 18-year-old Blades Brown stepped up to show his skills. The Tennessee teenager turned professional just last December and skipped college to chase his big dreams on the green. He already broke a 103-year-old record held by Bobby Jones as the youngest medalist in U.S. Amateur history. Now, he is tied for the lead with the best player in the entire world, Scottie Scheffler.

Brown’s week is truly amazing because he just flew in from a tournament in the Bahamas. He finished T-17 on the Korn Ferry Tour this Wednesday before jumping on a plane to reach California on Thursday. The young star used a private jet coupon he won in Myrtle Beach to land at 8 p.m. this Wednesday. He then woke up at 5 a.m. to play. Most people would be exhausted, but Brown found a second gear to crush the challenging desert courses.

On Friday, the phenom went on a scoring spree and recorded ten birdies and one eagle. He shot a blistering 60 on the Nicklaus course and almost broke the tour’s lowest round record of 58. Brown stood at 12-under par for the day before missing a final birdie putt on his last hole. He now sits at 17-under par for the tournament and shares the top spot on the leaderboard.

The 2026 American Express is a wild story of sudden exits and the birth of a new golf superstar. We feel sad for the three players who left, but the remaining field is still electric.