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Swafford Wins at The AMEX

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The American Express | Wrap-Up

LaQUINTA – Hudson Swafford came from behind to claim his third career PGA Tour victory and second at The American Express in the past five years. In fact, the victory came five years and one day after his 2017 American Express title.

Tom Hoge finished runner-up for the second time in his 201st career start.

The 54-hole co-leader and Tour rookie Lee Hodges secured his best career PGA Tour finish at T-3

Reigning FedExCup Champion Patrick Cantlay faltered and finished ninth but did record his second top-10 finish in as many starts this season while defending AMEX champion Si Woo Kim finished T-11.

The American Express | Final Leaderboard

Hudson Swafford – 70-65-66-64—265 (-23) LQ-NT-SC-SC

Tom Hoge – 65-66-68-68-–267 (-21) NT-SC-LQ-SC

Brian Harman – 67-70-67-64—268 (-20) NT-SC-LQ-SC

Lanto Griffin – 67-65-69-67—268 (-20) NT-SC-LQ-SC

Lee Hodges – 62-72-64-70—268 (-20) LQ-NT-SC-SC

AMEX Final Round Preview

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The American Express – Final Round Preview

LaQUINTA – Through 54 holes, there’s a pair of PGA Tour rooks, each making their 14th start on Tour, tied for the lead at The American Express. Rookie Paul Barjon has played his last six holes of each round this week in 4-under par while rookie Lee Hodges shot (64) Saturday, two rounds removed from an opening-round 10-under (62).

With one bogey through 54 holes, Tom Hoge closes is trying for his first career PGA title in his 201st start. He is only one stroke off the lead .

Ireland’s Seamus Power played his first six holes in 6-under in bid for second-consecutive Top-5 finish but with a win today, he would move to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings. Power is two off the lead.

World No. 1 and 2018 American Express champion Jon Rahm (T-15) at (-13) offset one bogey with six birdies on the Stadium Course to post a 5-under (67).

In his bid to become the first player to successfully defend his American Express title since Johnny Miller in 1976, Si Woo Kim sits T-24 at 11-under (205)

Making his 19th start in The American Express, two-time tournament champion (2002, 2004) Phil Mickelson missed the cut for a third consecutive season (7-over par – (223).

54-hole cut: 70 players at 7-under (209) from the field of 156 professionals. The final round will feature threesomes off split tees on the Stadium Course.

Cantlay Holds Lead at AMEX

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LaQUINTA – Reigning FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay followed his opening round 10-under (62) on the LaQuinta CC course with a 4-under (68) on Nicklaus Tournament course to extend his streak of consecutive rounds in the 60s to 21.

Meanwhile, 2020-21 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Will Zalatoris closed his 2nd round with seven consecutive birdies (Nos. 3-9*) on Nicklaus Tournament Course to match career-low round of (61) – (R-2 of 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship).

Seeking first Tour title, Tom Hoge played his first 36 holes bogey-free for the first time in his career. He’s shot (65) and (66) and trails Cantlay by a single stroke heading into today’s third round.

There will be a cut this evening to allow the top 65 players (and ties) to play Sunday. (Cut Predictor)

AMEX Leaderboard after 36 Holes:

Patrick Cantlay 62-68–130 (-14) LQ-NT

Tom Hoge 65-66–131 (-13) NT-SC

Will Zalatoris 71-61–132 (-12) LQ-NT

Lanto Griffin 67-65–132 (-12) NT-SC

Greyson Sigg 65-67–132 (-12) NT-SC

Cameron Young 64-68–132 (-12) LQ-NT

Joseph Bramlett 65-67–132 (-12) SC-LQ

Cantley, Hodges Tied at AMEX

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The American Express – Second Round Preview

LaQUINTA – Dating back to last seson, Patrick Cantlay is 28-under in his last three rounds at The American Express (65-61-62). He is T-1 with Lee Hodges who holds lead/co-lead for the first time in his PGA Tour career.

Hodges is an Alabama native and PGA Tour rookie who made his 14th career start this weekend and eighth this season. His debut at The American Express came after finishing No. 8 on Korn Ferry Tour points standings last season.

K.H. Lee posted a (64) for low score of the day at Stadium Course as the other leaders played the easier LaQuinta CC course. Danny Lee, Tom Hoge, Seamus Power and Greyson Sigg posted (65s) for low score of the day at the Nicklaus Course.

K.H. Lee (Korea), Danny Lee (New Zealand) and Seamus Power (Ireland) are the only non-American players in the Top-10.

AMEX Leaderboard after Round 1:

Lee Hodges (LQ) – 62 (-10)

Patrick Cantlay (LQ) – 62 (-10)

K.H. Lee (SC) – 64 (-8)

Cameron Young (LQ) – 64 (-8)

Eight players – 65 (-7)

PGA TOUR Heads to LaQuinta | AMEX

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Preview | The American Express

COURSE(s): PGA West (Stadium) – LaQuinta, California along with PGA WEST (Nicklaus Tournament), and La Quinta Country Club.

ARCHITECT: Pete Dye

YARDS/PAR: 7,147 yards/Par 72

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,600,000/$1,368,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Si Woo Kim

PAST RESULTS: (link)

PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)

FEDEx CUP Points / to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @theamexgolf

OFFICIAL SITE: (The American Express)

TV COVERAGE: All four days of TV coverage is from 3:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel.

PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Streaming coverage will be featured on ESPN-Plus Thursday through Sunday with Main Feed, Featured Hole and Featured Groups from 11:30am to 7:00pm (ET).

PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live radio coverage of the The American Express with Thursday and Friday broadcasts from 1:00pm to 7:00pm (ET). Weekend coverage on Sirius XM Radio runs from 2:00pm to 7:00pm. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATour(dot)com.

How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)

The American Express – Tournament Preview

LaQUINTA – California native Patrick Cantlay, the 2021 FedExCup Champion, will make his fourth start at The American Express after his 2021 runner-up finish. Cantlay set the 18-hole record at the Stadium Course at PGA WEST with 11 birdies en route to a final-round (61), but the 22-under (266) fell one shot short of Si Woo Kim’s winning total. Si Woo Kim will look to be the first player to successfully defend his title at The American Express since Johnny Miller won back-to-back in 1975 and 1976.

The La Quinta Country Club and pro-am portion return for the 63rd annual The American Express after being eliminated in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Each professional will be grouped with amateurs for the first three rounds before the low 70 professionals (and ties) will play their final round at the Stadium Course at PGA WEST.

World No. 1 and 2018 American Express champion Jon Rahm will enter the week in top form having finished runner-up to Cameron Smith at the Sentry Tournament of Champions to open the 2022 calendar. Rahm will be the first World No. 1 to tee it up at The American Express since former FedExCup Champion Justin Rose in 2019.

Matsuyama Wins SONY Open in Playoff

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HONOLULU – Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama came from behind to win his eighth career PGA Tour victory, tying K.J. Choi for most wins by a player from Asia. Matsuyama became the first two-time winner of the 2021-22 PGA TOUR wrap-around season (2021 ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, 2022 Sony Open in Hawaii) and the the ninth consecutive Sony Open champion who competed in the Sentry Tournament of Champions the weekend beforehand.

Matsuyama closed with 63-63 (126), his career-low closing 36-hole score and became the first player to win a playoff with an eagle since J.J. Henry at the 2015 Barracuda Championship.

Runner-up Russell Henley was seeking to become sixth multiple winner of the event (Jimmy Walker/2014, 2015; Ernie Els/2003, 2004; Lanny Wadkins/1988, 1991; Corey Pavin/1986, 1987; Hubert Green/1978, 1979). Henley shot a (29) going out on his final round.

After going bogey-free for 54 holes for the first time in his career, Matt Kuchar (T-7) bogeyed No. 5 in the final round, ending a streak of 60 consecutive holes without a bogey (58 this week).

SONY Open in Hawaii | Final Leaderboard

*Hideki Matsuyama 66-65-63-63—257 (-23)

Russell Henley 62-63-67-65—257 (-23)

Kevin Kisner 68-64-65-64—261 (-19)

Seamus Power 63-68-65-65—261 (-19)

*Won with an eagle-3 on the first playoff hole (No. 18)

Henley Holds Lead at SONY Open

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HONOLULU – Three-time PGA Tour winner Russell Henley is attempting to win his second Sony Open in Hawaii title (2013) and would become the sixth multiple winner of the event. He has a two stroke lead after posting a (67) on Saturday.

On the heels of the University of Georgia football team winning the National Championship for the first time since 1980, all 10 Georgia Bulldogs in the field made the cut, led by Henley, currently in 1st place (-18).

Hideki Matsuyama posted his 12th consecutive round in the 60s, the best active streak this season. He is two strokes off the lead

The only player without a bogey this week, 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii winner Matt Kuchar is bogey-free through 54 holes for the first time in his career and is T-3.

At 14-under 196, Irishman Seamus Power (T-3) tops previous-best low 54-hole score on Tour by two strokes (198/2016 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba/T-28). He is seeking his second career Tour win (2021 Barbasol Championship) and sixth top-25 finish in his last seven starts.

SONY Open Leaderboard – After Third Round

Russell Henley 62-63-67 – 192 (-18)

Hideki Matsuyama 66-65-63 – 194 (-16)

Adam Svensson 64-67-65 – 196 (-14)

Seamus Power 63-68-65 – 196 (-14)

Matt Kuchar 64-65-67 – 196 (-14)

Haotong Li 63-65-68 – 196 (-14)

PGA Tour: Henley leads at SONY Open

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HONOLULU – With his personal-best opening 36-hole score (125), the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii champion Russell Henley carded the lowest opening 36-hole score on Tour since Justin Thomas opened with (123) en route to winning the 2017 Sony Open.

Henley recorded his fifth round of (63) or better at the to tie Matt Kuchar for most since 1983. This weeks cutline equaled the lowest cut in Sony Open history (5-under/1998)

World No. 1 amateur Keita Nakajima became the first amateur to make the cut at the Sony Open since 2015.

Two players are bogey-free through 36 holes: 2019 Sony Open champion: Kuchar and Corey Conners while Charles Howell III made the cut for the 21st time in as many attempts at this event.

Defending champion and first-round leader Kevin Na dropped to T-16 following a mediocre round of 1-over (71) while last weeks Sentry Tournament of Champions winner Cameron Smith missed the cut.

SONY Open Leaderboard – After Round Two

Russell Henley – 62-63—125 (-15)

Haotong Li – 63-65—128 (-12)

Matt Kuchar – 64-65—129 (-11)

Michael Thompson – 63-67—130 (-10)

PGA Tour: “61” is the Magic Number

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HONOLULU – Sixty-one has been the magic number in the State of Hawaii. Last week at the Sentry, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm and Matt Jones each carded a Kapalua course record (61) and Kevin Na posted a career-best (61) to take an opening round lead at the SONY Open.

Na leads all PGA Tour players for most rounds of 62 or better since hole-by-hole tracking began in 1983. He has (11) such rounds. Na also leads the field in Driving Accuracy as the only player to hit all 14 fairways in round one to mark the eighth time in his career he hit every fairway in a round.

The defending champion here at the SONY, Na is seeking to become the the first player to successfully defend a tournament title since Viktor Hovland at the 2020-21 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.

Jim Furyk’s (62) marks his lowest opening round on Tour and lowest round since his (58) in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship, the PGA Tour record for low 18-hole score. Furyk won the 1996 Sony Open in Hawaii which was his second of 17 PGA TOUR victories. He was 25 years, 9 months and 6 days when he won in 1996. He’s 51 now.

SONY Open Leaderboard – After Round One

Kevin Na 61 (-9)

Jim Furyk 62 (-8)

Russell Henley 62 (-8)

Five players 63 (-7)