The American Express 2022: Form stats as the PGA Tour arrives in the California desert

Following a year's absence, La Quinta Country Club will once again be part of The American Express tournament this week.

In 2021, organisers took the decision to reduce the number of venues from three to two after cancelling the pro-am segment of the tournament due to the on-going Covid pandemic.

But 12 months later, the event will take place over the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course at PGA West (which remains the host venue), the Nicklaus Tournament Course (also at PGA West) and La Quinta Country Club.

La Quinta, which made it's PGA Tour debut in 1964, will be part of this tournament for the 49th time.

The 156 professionals taking part will play one round on each course over Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the Stadium Course taking centre stage for the final 18 holes.

Course characteristics

Pete Dye's Stadium Course, which made its debut in this event as long ago as 1987, wasn't used again for 29 years.

Water is a prominent feature of the layout, with sizeable hazards on half of its holes.

As many as 13 courses have been used for this event during the tournament's long and illustrious history.

The Nicklaus-designed Tournament Course is the most recent new addition to the tournament rota, joining the fray in 2016

But while the Stadium Course and Nicklaus Tournament Course were both designed and opened during the mid-1980s, La Quinta goes back as far as 1959.

La Quinta, with its rolling tree-lined fairways, has slightly smaller greens than the other two venues, as well as fewer undulations.

The Stadium Course is the most difficult of the three, while La Quinta is one of the easiest the pros will face all year.

Last year, when there were no amateurs involved in this event, both courses were toughened up for the pros, which meant the overall tournament scoring average increased - as the following table illustrates.

Last Six Years at The American Express (2016-21)
Overall Tournament Stroke Averages
69.46 (2019)
69.70 (2020)
69.79 (2016)
70.01 (2018)
70.79 (2017)
70.86 (2021)

PGA West Stroke Averages

Lowest 10 At American Express (2016-21)
67.30: Adam Hadwin (20)
67.67: Jon Rahm (12)
68.00: Tony Finau (11)
68.00: Sung Jae Im (12)
68.26: Andrew Landry (19)
68.38: Talor Gooch (16)
68.38: Andrew Putnam (16)
68.57: Brian Harman (23)
68.63: Russell Knox (16)
68.79: Brendan Steele (24)
Min. No. of Rounds = 10
Only those entered this week are included in table

PGA Tour Putting Averages (GiR)

Lowest Tournament Averages (1.1.2016 thru 31.12.2021)
1.669: PGA West (1/29)
1.709: El Camaleon (2/29)
1.714: Harbour Town (3/29)
1.723: TPC Deere Run (4/29)
1.725: Muirfield Village (5/29)
1.764: PGA Tour average
To qualify for this table, at least 300 golfers must have completed at least 54 holes at the venue/tournament between January 1st 2016 and December 31st, 2021. Averages do not include players who failed to complete 54 holes. A total of 29 PGA Tour venues qualified for inclusion in this ranking.

Latest betting for this week's American Express Tournament in California

Three to Watch

Patrick Cantlay: The 29-year-old has a strong record in desert conditions, having played well at both PGA West and TPC Summerlin in recent years. The world No 4 finished fourth two weeks ago in Hawaii.

Talor Gooch: Has enjoyed respectable performances at PGA West in the past. Currently a career-high world No 31, he should still be full of confidence after claiming his maiden Tour title in Georgia last November.

Sung Jae Im: Despite missing the cut in Hawaii last week, the young Korean should be ready to challenge for the title in California. Has a solid record in desert events, including a victory in Nevada last October.

Check out latest betting ahead of April's US Masters

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Note: List Contains Leading Reserves