With strongest field in years, The AmEx makes a compelling case for relevancy in PGA Tour's future schedules

Whatever is happening behind closed doors or in Zoom meetings with the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee (FCC), tournaments and their respective organizers press on, not exactly knowing what their prospects are for 2027 and beyond.

In the case of The American Express in California’s Coachella Valley, it’s a tournament seemingly in limbo as much as the rest—an event with an unbroken 66-year history with the tour, but long in a spot on the schedule where it hasn’t been afforded a slot on network television. In 2019, it was played as the Desert Classic because there was no title sponsor. For tour observers, the sentiment at that point was, “Poor Palm Springs. The Bob Hope was such a great gig. Sad to see what it’s become.”

But from the time American Express took over as title sponsor in 2020, the tournament has been re-energized with a growing list of commitments from recognizable players and a weekend concert series of top-level acts. You have to admit that Journey, Stevie Nicks, Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Keith Urban and Train are all very nice “gets.”

So, too, is World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has been a regular in the desert since he finished T-3 in 2020 (though he’s missed two starts since with injuries). The Texan hasn’t won the AmEx, but his loyalty has no doubt raised the event’s stature, and this year Scheffler’s quality of company is better than ever.

The tournament’s field next week at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club is being called possibly the strongest in decades, with five of the top 10 players and 12 of the top 25 in the World Ranking on the entry list. Suddenly, people aren’t feeling so sorry for the AmEx anymore, and with title sponsorship and venue deals through 2028, the tournament is making a compelling case to be taken seriously by the FCC when it comes to future scheduling.

“Whatever it does look like, we’re ready to go,” Pat McCabe, the executive director of The American Express, told Golf Digest recently.

The various scenarios become more compelling if, as some have speculated, the Hawaii swing disappears and the tour turns its attention to California for a season start. The AmEx and tournament at Torrey Pines, which needs a new sponsor for ’27, are key pieces on the chess board. Could it be that San Diego becomes host of the season-opening Sentry and the AmEx, as a current non-signature tournament, gets slotted in somewhere between Phoenix, Pebble Beach and Los Angeles? (The AmEx is the only one of those that absolutely must be scheduled in January through March because of the desert’s summer heat.)

In any case, it’s hard to ignore the AmEx returning as a tour oasis. As noted by the X account Nosferatu@VC606, the field rating for next week is stronger than any signature event of the last two years. That's remarkable. The only stronger field for a non-major or Players Championship was the Genesis Scottish Open.

McCabe recognizes that the AmEx’s field was probably boosted by the cancellation of The Sentry in Maui due to water issues and the season kicking off this week at the Sony Open on Oahu. Players like their early reps, especially on relatively benign setups, and, as noted by the Desert Sun, among those competing for the first time ever are major winners Adam Scott and Matt Fitzpatrick, and rising international star Ludvig Aberg. Even Southern California native Max Homa has entered for only the second time.

“I think because of that change in schedule we have seen an influx of players who maybe wouldn’t historically play our event, and we are thankful for that,” McCabe told the Desert Sun.

So maybe this bounty of strong players for the AmEx is simply a one-off occurrence under unusual circumstances. But viewed another way, this edition could be a road map for schedules to come. Either way, if you listen closely for the music next weekend, the Coachella Valley’s tournament is hardly looking like it’s going quietly into the good night.