The American Express PGA Tour Golf Tournament

The American Express is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour that started going by that name when the credit card company took over as title sponsor in 2020. Its most-recent previous title sponsor was CareerBuilder, but for decades on the PGA Tour this tournament was once known as the Bob Hope Desert Classic.

Legendary entertainer Bob Hope's name was added to the tournament in 1965, and continued to be part of the tournament name even after Hope's death in 2003. In 2012, Hope's name was dropped from the event title, but the winner still receives the Bob Hope Trophy.

• Bob Hope quotes about golf

Also in 2012, the tournament was reduced from five rounds (90 holes) to four rounds (72 holes).

2020 Tournament
Andrew Landry matched the tournament scoring record of 262 in his two-stroke victory. Landry's 72-hole total equalled the record set in 2019 by Adam Long. The runner-up was Abraham Ancer. For Landry, who lost in a playoff to Jon Rahm at this tournament in 2018, it was his second career PGA Tour win.

2019 Tournament

Adam Long established a new tournament scoring record to pip Phil Mickelson by one stroke and win the tournament. Long's final-round 65 gave him a total of 26-under 262, lowering the 72-hole event mark by one stroke. Mickelson opened the tournament with a first-round 60, but shot 69 in the final round to yield first place to Long.

2018 Tournament
Jon Rahm won it on the fourth playoff hole. Rahm and Andrew Landry tied after 72 holes at 22-under 266. Then they matched pars on the first three playoff holes. Finally, Rahm won it with a birdie on the fourth extra hole. It was Rahm's second career win on the PGA Tour.

Official Web site

PGA Tour tournament site

The American Express Scoring Records

• 72 holes: 262 - Adam Long, 2019; Andrew Landry, 2020
• 90 holes: 324 - Joe Durant, 2001
• 18 holes: 59 - David Duval, 1999 (PGA West/Palmer Course); Adam Hadwin, 2017, LaQuinta Country Club

Tournament's Golf Courses

The Desert Classic has traditionally been played over multiple golf courses, in most years golfers rotating daily among four courses. Beginning in 2012, that rotation is reduced to three courses. Those three courses are:

• PGA West (Stadium course), La Quinta, Calif.
• PGA West (Nicklaus Tournament course), La Quinta, Calif.
• La Quinta Country Club, La Quinta, Calif.

Numerous other courses in the Coachella Valley have been part of the rotation over the years, most notably Indian Wells Country Club and Bermuda Dunes Country Club.

The American Express Tournament Trivia and Notes

• Arnold Palmer won the first tournament played - in 1960, when it was called the Palm Springs Golf Classic - and went on to win four more times (1962, 1968, 1971, 1973). Those five wins are the tournament record - no other golfer has won more than twice.
• Among those two-time winners is Johnny Miller (1975-76). Miller is the only golfer to win this tournament in back-to-back years.
• Palmer's victory at the 1973 Bob Hope Desert Classic was the 62nd of his PGA Tour career - and his final PGA Tour victory.
• David Duval won the title in 1999 by shooting 59 in the final round. Duval trailed by seven entering the final round, but after 11 birdies plus an eagle on No. 18 he had a 1-stroke victory.
• The tournament had its second 59 in 2017, when Adam Hadwin did the trick in the third round. Hadwin wound up finishing second.
• There have been 19 playoffs in tournament history, all but one of them sudden-death. The first one, in 1963, was an 18-hole playoff in which Jack Nicklaus defeated Gary Player. Two of Palmer's victories came via playoffs. In 1968 he defeated Deane Beman, and in 1971 Palmer beat Raymond Floyd.
• Every year from 1982 through 1986 - five straight tournaments - ended in a playoff.
• During the years the event was known as the Bob Hope Classic, it had a history of choosing "beauty queens," selected from among area college students. They were called "Classic Girls."
• Jay Haas won the Hope in 1988. In 2010, his son Bill Haas won the tournament. They are the only father-son winners in tournament history. (See the list of father-son winners on the PGA Tour.)
• United States presidents have often been among the celebrities to take part in the pro-am. Gerald Ford played regularly, and George H.W. Bush played often. Now, Bill Clinton's foundation is the tournament's charity.
• The defending champion was always paired with Bob Hope, and if a past president played, the president joined Hope and the defending champion. In 1995, defending champ Scott Hoch played the first round with Hope, President Clinton (the first sitting president to play), and former presidents Ford and Bush.
• David Lingmerth twice broke the tournament's 72-hole scoring record - and didn't win either time. In 2013, Lingmerth was part of a 3-way playoff after finishing at 264, but Brian Gay won the playoff. In 2016, Lingmerth lowered the scoring record to 263, but lost a playoff to Jason Dufner. The scoring record was lowered further to 262 by Adam Long in 2019, and tied by Andrew Landry in 2020.

Winners of the PGA Tour's American Express

(p-playoff; tournament's previous names are also listed)

The American Express
2020 - Andrew Landry, 262

Desert Classic
2019 - Adam Long, 262

CareerBuilder Challenge
2018 - Jon Rahm, 266
2017 - Hudson Swafford, 268
2016 - Jason Dufner-p, 263

Humana Challenge
2015 - Bill Haas, 266
2014 - Patrick Reed, 260
2013 - Brian Gay-p, 263
2012 - Mark Wilson, 264

Bob Hope Classic
2011 - Jhonattan Vegas-p, 333
2010 - Bill Haas, 330
2009 - Pat Perez, 327

Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
2008 - D.J. Trahan, 334
2007 - Charley Hoffman, 343
2006 - Chad Campbell, 335
2005 - Justin Leonard, 332
2004 - Phil Mickelson-p, 330
2003 - Mike Weir, 330
2002 - Phil Mickelson-p, 330
2001 - Joe Durant, 324
2000 - Jesper Parnevik, 331
1999 - David Duval, 334
1998 - Fred Couples-p, 332
1997 - John Cook, 327
1996 - Mark Brooks, 337
1995 - Kenny Perry, 335
1994 - Scott Hoch, 334
1993 - Tom Kite, 325
1992 - John Cook-p, 336
1991 - Corey Pavin-p, 331
1990 - Peter Jacobsen, 339
1989 - Steve Jones-p, 343
1988 - Jay Haas, 338
1987 - Corey Pavin, 341
1986 - Donnie Hammond-p, 335

Bob Hope Classic
1985 - Lanny Wadkins-p, 333
1984 - John Mahaffey-p, 340

Bob Hope Desert Classic
1983 - Keith Fergus-p, 335
1982 - Ed Fiori-p, 335
1981 - Bruce Lietzke, 335
1980 - Craig Stadler, 343
1979 - John Mahaffey, 343
1978 - Bill Rogers, 339
1977 - Rik Massengale, 337
1976 - Johnny Miller, 344
1975 - Johnny Miller, 339
1974 - Hubert Green, 341
1973 - Arnold Palmer, 343
1972 - Bob Rosburg, 344
1971 - Arnold Palmer-p, 342
1970 - Bruce Devlin, 339
1969 - Billy Casper, 345
1968 - Arnold Palmer-p, 348
1967 - Tom Nieporte, 349
1966 - Doug Sanders-p, 349
1965 - Billy Casper, 348

Palm Springs Golf Classic
1964 - Tommy Jacobs-p, 353
1963 - Jack Nicklaus-p, 345
1962 - Arnold Palmer, 342
1961 - Billy Maxwell, 345
1960 - Arnold Palmer, 338