Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm among 10 players to watch at 2023 American Express

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Every person who tees it up in a PGA Tour event is a good player and worth keeping an eye on, especially this week in the Coachella Valley at the 2023 American Express.

Five of the top 10 players in the world (as well as 10 of the top 19) have made their way to PGA West to highlight a strong field that also includes a handful of past champions.

Some players, however, are more intriguing than others. Here are 10 players who could be at or near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday’s final round.

Maybe Scheffler is a different player than the guy who played in the 2022 American Express and finished 25th. After that, he went on to win four tournaments, capped by a victory at the Masters, and was named the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year. Scheffler’s year included runs at the U.S. Open and the Tour Championship, as well. He’s a favorite most times he tees off.

Scottie Scheffler and caddie Ted Scott on the ninth hole during the third round of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii: (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Rahm, the 2018 American Express winner, is capable of winning wherever. He again won on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour last year, and won just two weeks ago at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. He’s one of the players to watch in every major championship. Rahm’s love of the American Southwest means he focuses on playing well in those tournaments. That could include a second title at The American Express.

Jon Rahm plays the Pete Dye Stadium course during the final round of The American Express at PGA West in La Quinta, California on Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022. (Photo: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun)

Finau had the breakout year everyone had been expecting from him in the 2021-22 season, with three wins. Finau has been a fixture in La Quinta since American Express took over as the sponsor, and he’s been a fixture on the leaderboard as well. Now that he’s won multiple tournaments in a year, a title at the American Express is more of a possibility.

Tony Finau hits his chip shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Kim won the desert tournament in 2021 with critical birdies on the 16th and 17th holes Sunday, and did something similar last week in Hawaii. He was in the mix again last year before eventually drifting back to a solid 11th-place finish. Kim is 39-under par for his last eight rounds at the tournament.

Si Woo Kim poses with the trophy during the final round of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Cantlay has been even better than Kim over the last two years in the desert, reaching 40-under par for eight rounds. Cantlay finished second to Kim in 2021 and placed ninth in 2022. There is no reason to think this now-consistent winner won’t threaten again in the tournament.

Patrick Cantlay plays his shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the American Express golf tournament at Nicklaus Tournament Course. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

The San Diego native hasn’t been in the desert since 2017, but he returns as one of the game’s top players. Schauffele is a bit of a wild card in this tournament in terms of the golf courses and playing in a pro-am, but his pedigree is enough to think he can find at least a top-10 finish.

Xander Schauffele hits his fairway shot on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Is Hoge the new king of the pro-am? Maybe. A strong second-place finish in the American Express last year was followed by a victory, his first on the PGA Tour, at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am. Hoge collected four other top-10 finishes last season and already has two this season. He played well on the West Coast last year.

Tom Hoge plays his shot from the 17th tee during the second round of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

A star on the International team of the Presidents Cup, Kim now has his second title on the PGA Tour with a victory in Las Vegas last October. Kim played in the American Express in 2021, missing the cut. But he has grown leaps and bounds since then as a player and is now a consistent threat from week to week.

January 8, 2023; Maui, Hawaii, USA; Tom Kim hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Im has played in the American Express three times and posted finishes of 12th, 10th and 11th. That kind of consistent play, along with two PGA Tour victories, makes him dangerous in this tournament field. He also seems to like desert golf, as shown by finishes of first and seventh, respectively, in the last two years in Las Vegas.

Sungjae Im hits his second shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii golf tournament at Waialae Country Club. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Zalatoris made a strong debut in the American Express in 2022, contending in the tournament after 36 holes and finishing tied for sixth. The only question here is his health as he missed the second half of the 2021-22 season with back pain. Zalatoris returned to the tour at the Sentry Tournament of Champions two weeks ago, and a healthy Zalatoris could go low and win in La Quinta.

Will Zalatoris hits his fairway shot on the fourth hole during the second round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports