Min Woo Lee and Pierceson Coody fired 10-under 62s to share the lead after the first round of the 2026 American Express in La Quinta, California. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a strong season debut with a bogey-free 9-under 63, sitting one stroke back alongside seven others. Low scores dominated the day across three courses, with 70 players finishing at 5-under or better.
The 2026 American Express kicked off Thursday with ideal conditions in the California desert, leading to a birdie fest across La Quinta Country Club, the Pete Dye Stadium Course, and the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West. Play began at 11:30 a.m. ET, and the 156-player field quickly posted eye-popping numbers in benign weather with minimal wind.
Min Woo Lee, playing the Nicklaus course, birdied five holes around the turn and four more late to card his career-low 62. "I drove it really well early on," Lee said. "Holed some putts... it turned out well." Pierceson Coody matched him with seven straight birdies on the back nine, also on the Nicklaus layout, which proved the easiest of the trio.
Scottie Scheffler, in his first start since September, wasted no time on La Quinta Country Club. He birdied five of his first six holes for a front-nine 30, adding three more on the back for 63. His only green miss came at the 17th, where he chipped in for birdie after his tee shot hit a spectator. "I got off to a good start today," Scheffler said. "I was really sharp on the front nine." He hit 17 of 18 greens and joined Jason Day, Patrick Cantlay, Ben Griffin, Si Woo Kim, S.H. Kim, Robert MacIntyre, and Matt McCarty at 9-under.
Day's 63 on the tougher Stadium Course stood out, averaging nearly four strokes harder than the Nicklaus. Nine players shot 63, and eight more hit 64, with 130 under par overall. The 54-hole cut looms Saturday, setting up a birdie-heavy weekend on the Stadium Course Sunday.
Defending champion Sepp Straka sits at 7-under, while Ludvig Åberg and Justin Rose lag further back. The $9.2 million purse highlights this pro-am event, the PGA Tour's only three-course rotation.
