Scottie Scheffler got his 2026 PGA Tour season off to a flying start on Thursday after he fired a round of nine-under-par 63 at the American Express Championship.
Scheffler played La Quinta Country Club – the easiest course on the rotation at the American Express.
However, golf is never easy, and getting the ball in the hole can always represent a challenge.
Scheffler was happy with his game after day one at the American Express and why wouldn’t he have been?
How many times do you think Scottie Scheffler will win in 2026?
Over or under 4.5…
The current world number one trails the leaders in La Quinta, California, by just one shot heading into the second round on Friday.
His opening round 63 should not have actually surprised anyone. After all, Scheffler was in fine form during his American Express practice rounds.
However, there was something hugely surprising about how the 29-year-old managed to post a score of nine-under par.
What made Scottie Scheffler’s round at the American Express hard to believe
Scheffler cruised around La Quinta in typically no-nonsense fashion.
The American’s remarkable ability to maintain the same attitude regardless of how he is scoring is one of the main reasons why he’s the best golfer in the world.
And the 29-year-old showed exactly that on Thursday at the American Express.
He made nine birdies and nine pars. It’s a huge compliment to Scheffler that his opening round seemed nothing more than ‘ho-hum’, for want of a better phrase.
He just makes everything look far too easy, doesn’t he?
It must be said, though, there was one issue that Scheffler will be keen to address ahead of his second round on Friday.
Amazingly, Scheffler hit just five of 14 fairways in the desert during his first round of the American Express.
The fact that he shot a round of 63 despite missing NINE fairways is genuinely very hard to believe.
However, he was still able to hit an exceptional 17 greens in regulation.
Scottie Scheffler comments on his poor driving at the American Express
The world number one explained why he was still able to score so well, in spite of the fact that he missed so many fairways.
“I felt I could have hit a few more fairways on the back nine, give myself some more opportunities,“ he said.
“Even the fairways I was missing, I was missing on the correct side. The out of bounds can sneak up on you a little bit on this golf course.
“And it was nice, to, even though I wasn’t hitting it my best on the back, but to keep it in play and give myself some opportunities.“
If Scheffler manages to improve his driving on day two of the American Express, it could spell real trouble for his competitors.
How many majors do you think Scottie Scheffler will win during his career?
The world number one already has four majors under his belt
The man from Dallas, Texas, is looking for his 20th PGA Tour victory, and the lifetime PGA Tour membership that comes along with that.
It would surprise nobody if the 29-year-old manages to achieve that 20th win in La Quinta, California, this week.
After hitting just five fairways on day one, the only way is up for Scheffler at the American Express, certainly with his driver.
If he maintains his precise iron play over the next three days in the desert, and improves off the tee, win number 20 will be just around the corner for Scheffler, there is absolutely no doubt about that.
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