The early-season West Coast swing heads to La Quinta, California, as the American Express odds go live. Formerly the Desert Classic, The Amex is the second event on the PGA Tour schedule and, for 2026, will be the first tournament where world number one Scottie Scheffler tees it up. It’s a bumper field this year, so let’s jump in and see what it’s all about.
- 1 2026 American Express Golf Odds
- 2 2026 American Express Golf Betting Tips
- 3 Most Popular American Express Golf Betting Markets
- 4 Best Bookmakers for American Express Golf Betting
- 5 Additional American Express Golf Tournament Insights
- 6 Upcoming Golf Events
- 7 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 8 The American Express Betting FAQs
2026 American Express Golf Odds
We’re earlier than a Saturday morning tee time with our preview for 2026, and the official American Express golf odds aren’t live yet. As soon as they are, our odds table will spring into life, taking lines from the best golf betting sites on the market.
2026 American Express Golf Betting Tips
If you’re looking for the latest American Express golf tips, you’ve come to the right place. Historically, it’s a tricky tournament to call, given it’s so early in the season, but we’ve crunched the numbers and found a couple of picks who look super interesting for 2026.
Scottie Scheffler to win the American Express
Scottie’s going to head off as a short-priced favourite this week, and there’s no getting away from the fact that if you’re getting on, his American Express PGA odds aren’t going to be great. But the fact is that he’s the best player in this field by a country mile, and he’s the one to beat.
His record in 2025 was borderline ridiculous. He had eight wins and 20 top-10 finishes, earning him the 2025 Player of the Year. He’s gone well at La Quinta previously, with three top 25 finishes in his last three starts, and a best of third in 2020. If you can stomach the odds, then this is the play.
Ben Griffin Each Way
This time last year, Ben Griffin was 68th in the world. He’d had a few decent results in 2024, but something clicked in 2025, winning three times and multiple top-10 finishes, propelling him to eighth in the world and a Ryder Cup pick to boot.
He can really build on this for 2026, and PGA West at La Quinta will be somewhere he’s targeting to kick his season off strong. He finished T7 in 2025 and T9 in 2024, so he’s got form here. If he can get that putter rolling, he’s one to watch this week and should be decent value once the American Express open odds go live.
Most Popular American Express Golf Betting Markets
As one of the more popular stops on the PGA Tour, the American Express will have a lot of eyes on it, especially with the news that Scottie Scheffler is playing. For the best betting sites, this means more markets, and we’ve got a quick list below with 10 of the best to look out for throughout the week.
The easiest and most popular market – simply bet on the player you think will win the American Express outright.
This is where you split a win bet in two. The first part is on the nose, so half your stake goes towards the win. The second part is a place, with the other half going on the player to place. Usually, it pays top six, but this can vary depending on the bookie. Shop around for the most placed paid.
The “top” places market is where you pick a golfer to finish within a certain number of positions. For example, if you back the top 20, you need that player to be tied 20th or better for your bet to win.
A really cool first-round market. Just bet on the player who will be leading after the first round. Where they finish at the end of the tournament doesn’t matter; it’s just the first round for this market.
Really simple, just select if you think there will be a hole-in-one (by any player on any hole) or not.
You can back players to make or miss the cut. The cut is made after 36 holes. For the American Express, it’s the top 65 players and ties.
Group betting can involve anywhere from 2 to 4 players. You need to pick the player with the lowest score for the tournament from that group. It’s worth noting that players don’t have to be paired together for this, but there is usually a market for groups who are paired.
This market will remove the favourite for the field. This week, that will be Scottie Scheffler, so rankings will be adjusted with him removed.
Winning margin bets are all about how many shots players win by. This can be single numbers or groups. For example, Scottie Scheffler to win by 3+ strokes.
In golf betting, wire-to-wire means that you lead after each round before going on to win the tournament. It’s very rare that this happens, so the odds are huge, but worth it if you can find that diamond amongst the mayhem.
Best Bookmakers for American Express Golf Betting
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Founded:
2000
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(11):
Bet £10 & Get £30 18+. Registration Required. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Funded account or place a bet to qualify. Geo location and live streaming rules apply. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £100,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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|
Founded:
1999
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10, Get up to £60 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Place a £10 fixed odds single or £10 each-way bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £1.00
Max. withdrawal: £25,000
Min. deposit: £1
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1886
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New UK+ROI Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 6 x £5 free bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days, stake not returned). Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £250,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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|
Founded:
1946
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(5):
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 (odds 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get £30 in Free Bets for selected markets, 7 days expiry. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
2019
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
Bet £20, Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New UK customers. Min £20 first deposit. Place a bet of £20 at min odds of 2/1 (3.0) and get £40 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £100,000,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
2003
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
100% up to £50 Welcome Bonus 18+ New players. Choose bonus at signup. Wager bonus 10x. Any withdrawals void bonus. Valid 30 days. Deposit used 1st. Odds, bet & payment limits. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
1989
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(9):
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
2006
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Up to £30 Matched Free Bet if your First Acca Loses + 100 Free Spins + £30 Uber Eats Voucher 18+ New UK customers only. Min Stake: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football, Horse Racing, Tennis, Cricket or Basketball multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 100 Free Spins on More Unusual Suspects (£0.10 per spin) credited on settlement of qualifying Acca bet. No wagering requirements on free spin winnings. Earn a £30 Uber Eats Voucher on successful Acca qualification. Debit Card deposit only (exclusions apply). This offer is valid 7 days from the new account being registered. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.20
Max. withdrawal: £100,000,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
1926
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(8):
Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New UK + ROI customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 6 x £/€5 free bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days, stakes not returned). Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £250,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
2012
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New customers: Deposit £10+ within 7 days and place a sports bet. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets (2 x £10 Bet Builders & 2 x £10 Sports Bet). Valid 7 days. Min odds apply. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £35,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Additional American Express Golf Tournament Insights
It’s all well and good for us to state what and whom to bet on for the American Express, but we also want to give you the tools to make your own picks. See this section as your “cheat sheet” for getting ahead when betting on the golf this week.
Key Golfers to Watch
Year after year, the Amex continues to pull in impressive fields, and for 2026, it’s no different. We’ve highlighted a couple of picks in addition to our American Express odds section above, but we want to highlight a couple of notable players to watch this week who we think have a decent chance of picking up some early-season silverware.
Rickie Fowler
2025 will have to go down as a good year for Rickie Fowler. He didn’t get the win he’s so badly craving – his last being the Rocket Mortgage Classic in July 2023 – but there were signs of life from the Oklahoma State alumni. He played nicely last year for T21, but he really needs to get that putter dialled in early to make a charge this year. He’s had a good break from last season, so he should come into PGA West refreshed and fingers crossed, hit the ground running.
Akshay Bhatia
Akshay Bhatia has a shocking record at La Quinta, so it’s a little surprising to see him in the field this week. He’s played here three times and missed the cut on each occasion. Last season was a bit of a grind in fairness, especially after winning in 2024 and all the buzz that came with his cameo on Netflix’s golf documentary, Full Swing. He is, however, incredibly talented, so his American Express betting odds might just tempt us into a little outsider dabble for a place spot to end his curse in California. If you’ve a cheeky no-risk free bet to use, this could work out nicely.
Sepp Straka
We couldn’t not include the reigning American Express champ now, could we? Sepp Straka played beautifully for his two-shot victory over Justin Thomas last season and heads into the season in good form, finishing third at the Hero World Challenge in December. Back-to-back wins? Heck, why not? The Austrian is one of the most underrated players on the PGA Tour right now and is currently 12th in the world. One to watch this week, for sure.
A Deep Dive into La Quinta Country Club: Course Analysis for Punters
The Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA West is a firm favourite on Tour. It’s a Par 72 and 7,060 yards, so it’s short by Tour standards, but super tight in places, meaning accuracy off the tee and pinpoint irons are essential.
You can’t just bomb it around here, which is why it’s one of the better tournaments to watch. There are 82 bunkers, five lakes and water in play on seven holes. They won’t grow the rough too much, mainly because of the time of year, but it’s thick and gnarly, so again, players need to be accurate off the tee.
That said, the scoring average is low, at around 67.90, which makes it one of the easier courses on paper. So, what does this all mean from a betting perspective?
Well, look for elite short game and wedge players. Almost all the par 4s will be a wedge for these guys, so the ones that knock it close have a huge advantage. Also, look for strong putters. Players who have won recently have all gained strokes on the greens. And finally, this is a week for those short kings. Bombers don’t rule here, so your Brian Harman’s, Ben Griffin’s, etc., will be right in the mix, if those wedges can fire.
What’s the American Express Golf Prize Money?
There’s no official announcement for prize money for 2026, but it’s unlikely to differ from 2025. This means there will be a purse of $8.7 million (£6.47 million), with first place taking home a cool $1.584 million (£1.17 million).
Recent American Express Golf Tournament Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sepp Straka | 263 | Austrian |
| 2024 | Nick Dunlap | 259 | American |
| 2023 | Jon Rahm | 261 | Spanish |
| 2022 | Hudson Swafford | 265 | American |
| 2021 | Kim Si-woo | 265 | South Korean |
| 2020 | Andrew Landry | 262 | American |
| 2019 | Adam Long | 262 | American |
| 2018 | Jon Rahm | 266 | Spanish |
| 2017 | Hudson Swafford | 268 | American |
| 2016 | Jason Dufner | 263 | American |
| 2015 | Bill Haas | 266 | American |
| 2014 | Patrick Reed | 260 | American |
Upcoming Golf Events
No upcoming events.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
The 2026 American Express could be a classic. With Scottie Scheffler back in the field for the first time in two years, it will bring that added bit of sauce to the second PGA Tour event of the season. Historically, this has been a wide-open tournament to call, so the American Express odds can be quite generous. Use our tips and latest odds or use our strategy section to form your own bets to smash those bookies out of the park.
The American Express Betting FAQs
bet365 is the best bookmaker to bet on the American Express. They have the widest range of markets, some of the best odds, and a great selection of golf promos and bonuses for the week.
We’ve got all the best American Express betting tips right here at TPP. Check out our guide to see who we think can win and where the value in the field lies.
Yes, you can. The American Express will qualify for all betting bonuses that accept golf as an eligible sport.
For 2026, the American Express prize money is $8.8 million. The winner will get a cheque worth $1.584 million.
The American Express is played on the PGA West Course at La Quinta Country Club in California.
The PGA Tour website has all the latest scores for the tournament.