Lee Min Woo in joint lead
Lee Min Woo and Pierceson Coody fired identical 10-under 62s to claim the first round lead at the American Express golf championships in California.
The duo, who both played the Nicklaus Tournament course on Thursday, are a shot ahead of the a group of nine golfers tie in third at 9 under including world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Min Woo, is a three-time DP World Tour winner and earned his first PGA TOUR title last season at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. The 62-round was his best 18-hole career round and also the first time he is leading a tournament after the first round.
Coody, who finished tied-13 last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, recorded a back-nine 29 that included seven consecutive birdies on holes 11 through 17.
In his first start of the season, Scheffler opened with a bogey-free 63 at the La Quinta Country Club, his lowest 18-hole score in 19 career rounds played in the tournament.
Of the nine players tied one shot off the lead, two players are seeking their first PGA TOUR title – Vince Whaley and S.H. Kim.
Ben Griffin marked his seventh consecutive start sitting inside the top eight on the leaderboard following the first round; the last event he played where he was outside the top eight after 18 holes was the 2025 Wyndham Championship.
Thirteen-time PGA TOUR winner Jason Day recorded the low round of the day on the Stadium Course with a 9-under 63, his lowest 18-hole score in 17 rounds at The American Express; and lowest score on the Stadium Course since Keith Mitchell’s 62 in the final round of 2024.
Patrick Cantlay recorded 10 birdies against one bogey on the Nicklaus Course.
Meanwhile, Will Zalatoris tied seventh with a 65 at La Quinta CC, including eight birdies, in his first PGA TOUR start since undergoing back surgery in May 2025
Defending champion Sepp Straka struggled to finish on par recording three birdies against one bogey and one double bogey at La Quinta CC.
