2023 American Express Betting Preview, Predictions & Top Pick
Ten of the top 19 players in the world have traveled to the California desert for the American Express at PGA West, creating the most stacked field of the new season thus far.
Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Will Zalatoris are just a few of the top 10 scheduled to tee it up on Thursday, while Scottie Scheffler (#2) and No. 4 Jon Rahm are the two betting favorites.
Unlike most weeks, the cut will be made after 54 holes with a three-course rotation used over the first three rounds. Sunday’s championship round will take place on Pete Dye’s Stadium Course.
Let’s take a closer look at how things might shake out in the first event of the year on the mainland.
- 2023 American Express: Best Longshot Picks & Predictions
- 2023 The American Express Odds, Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
2023 American Express Best Bets
Previous Winners of the American Express
- 2022: Hudson Swafford
- 2021: Kim Si-woo
- 2020: Andrew Landry
Course Preview: La Quinta Country Club
Each golfer will, as previously noted, play three courses: one on PGA West Stadium Course, one on the PGA West Nicklaus Course, and one on the La Quinta Country Club. Those who advance to the fourth will play the West Stadium Course again.
The Stadium Course was created by Pete Dye in 1986 and is a 7,113-yard, par-72 course. The 7,159-yard Nicklaus Course has a par of 72 as well, as does the 7,060-yard La Quinta Country Club course. In general, the courses all play comfortably and are short for Par 72s, leading to some very low winning scores.
Relevant Betting Stats
- Driving Accuracy
- Ball Striking
- SG: Approach
Outright Betting Pick: Cameron Davis (+4500)
For this week’s American Express, it’s crucial to target birdie-makers, and there are few in this bunch who stand out as much as the Australian Cameron Davis. Davis is 5th in the field for Opportunities Gained and eighth in the field for Birdies or Better Gained. With his skill set, he should have numerous opportunities to make birdies each week, and I think we see that out of the gates in this one.
At the Stadium Course last year, Davis produced a final-round 64 to catapult himself into a solo third-place finish. The 27-year-old improved his approach game by 5.5 strokes and his putting by 5.4 strokes for the week, which is the perfect mix for the three courses we’ll play this week.
Davis participated in the Sony Open last week to get his game back after the offseason. He gained 6.6 strokes from the tee to the green and placed 32nd overall. He lost three strokes as a result of his putting difficulties, but his experience here should improve those results.
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