Scottie Scheffler, Rickie Fowler, & Co. are going to make their season debut in the 2026 American Express this week. And they will be up for an intense battle as the field is absolutely packed with amazing talent. And they all won’t face the same challenges, as well as they event will be played at three different venues. Want to know that’s the case? Then let’s find out!

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Why is the American Express 2026 being played on three different courses?

Ever since its inception in 1960, the American Express has been one of the biggest events at the beginning of the PGA Tour calendar. Not because it holds a big purse or has a lot of history. Although Arnold Palmer winning the tournament five times does make it historic. But rather, the tournament has also hosted one of the biggest fields on the PGA Tour calendar.

The same will be the case in 2026 as well. Back in October 2024, Jay Monahan announced that the PGA Tour would cut down the field size for all its FedEx Cup events from this year onwards. That doesn’t apply to the American Express. That’s because the tournament is played on three different courses.

The field for every round will be split across the three courses. That’s how the PGA Tour can guarantee that the rounds will get completed quickly without long delays. Every player who makes the cut will have to play the first three rounds on each of the courses. What started as a tradition of the Desert Classic ended up being a savior for large-field events.

Once the 54-hole contest is over, Championship Sunday will be hosted on the Pete Dye Stadium Course as per GolfWeek. The other two courses in the lineup are the Nicklaus Tournament Course and the La Quinta Country Club. This guarantees that every pro faces the same challenges before they reach the final stage of the $9.2 million event.

Now that the format is clear, let’s look at the field for the event.

Who will win the $9.2 million prize money?

With Scottie Scheffler on the field, there is one favorite who can certainly win the maximum from the $9.2 million pot. Especially since some big names who can compete with him are already missing from the event. However, Scheffler doesn’t hold as impressive a record in the tournament.

However, Scheffler might face some tough competition from the defending champion, Sepp Straka. The likes of Justin Rose, Ludvig Aberg, and Matt Fitzpatrick can also prove to be major threats. With three consecutive top-10 finishes, Justin Thomas would have been one of the biggest threats in the tournament this season. Unfortunately, he’s not a part of the field as he’s recovering from surgery.

Last year, Patrick Cantlay got close to winning it all at the Pete Dye Stadium Course as he finished at T5. He also has three other top-10 finishes in the past editions of the tournament. Considering his four-year winless streak, he would be yearning for a victory. This would be the perfect time for him to capture his first-ever American Express title. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in the end.