This week, Craig Edwards (@EdwardsTips_), our golf betting specialist, shares his top picks and insights for readers on the American Express, the second PGA Tour event of 2026, all with the best betting odds courtesy of our top sportsbooks.
The American Express: Format and Courses
The 2026 American Express features World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and a strong field in California.
This event typically sees low scores across three resort courses, played in a pro-am format before a 54-hole cut. The final round takes place at the PGA West Stadium Course.
Course Facts
- La Quinta: Par 72, 7,060 yards
- PGA West Nicklaus Course: Par 72, 7,147 yards
- PGA West Stadium Course: Par 72, 7,210 yards (final round)
PGA West Stadium is the toughest, with risk-reward shots and water on half its holes, designed by Pete Dye.
Si Woo Kim Catches the Eye for American Express
As the PGA West Stadium Course will host two of the four rounds this week, it is important to consider competitors with proven success on Pete Dye-designed venues. Stadium Courses present distinct challenges that require both accuracy and strategic decision-making.
One athlete who excels in tee-to-green accuracy is Si Woo Kim, a previous winner at this location and at TPC Sawgrass during the Players Championship. The thirty-year-old South Korean golfer is known for his dedication to the sport; while many PGA Tour players took an off-season break, Kim participated in an event on the DP World Tour in Australia to maintain his competitive edge. As a result, his robust performance at last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii was unsurprising.
Si Woo Kim consistently demonstrates exceptional skill from tee to green, and his most successful tournaments often coincide with strong putting performances. Following last week’s competition, which served as preparation for the current season, there is reason to believe this could be a favorable week to support Kim at Bovada.
Golf Pick: Si Woo Kim to win (+4000) at Heritage Sports
Golf Pick: Si Woo Kim to finish top 10 (+400) at BetOnline
Trust Jacob to Bridge the Gap
Jacob Bridgeman has emerged as one of the most consistent and upwardly mobile young golfers on the PGA Tour in the last two seasons.
Last week was a strong opener for the twenty-six-year-old from South Carolina. It was the perfect prep for the American Express, a tournament in which he has performed well. In his first two PGA Tour seasons, he finished 39th and 21st.
The one thing we have definitively learned about Bridgeman is that he is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, and that is a prerequisite this week with a birdie fest at resort courses format.
Last week, sharpening up his game and particularly his short game could be perfect for Jacob Bridgeman, who looks like a lock top 20 bet this week, along with a more speculative outright bet at Bovada.
Golf Pick: Jacob Bridgeman Top 20 (+400) at BetOnline
Golf Pick: Jacob Bridgeman to win (+10000) at Bovada
Take Tom Hoge’s Consistency for The Props Profit
Tom Hoge is one of the most metronomic tee-to-green performers on the PGA Tour, and last week’s effort in Hawaii served notice that his game was in good nick.
Regular readers will know that Hoge nearly won big for us at last year’s Players Championship, eventually finishing 3rd, which meant strong profits at prices north of (+2000).
The week prior, he served notice that he was coming into form for one of his favourite weeks, and we can take last week’s effort as a harbinger of things to come.
Interestingly, Hoge is a reliable sort when in good form, and this week’s price offers huge appeal at BetOnline, whose range of place markets is perfect for the 36-year-old from North Carolina.
Golf Pick: Tom Hoge Top 10 (+1000) at BetOnline
Golf Pick: Tom Hoge Top 20 (+2500) at BetOnline
Your American Express Betting Gameplan
A quick recap of this week’s three selections for the American Express:
- Si Woo Kim: Outright (+4000), Top 10 (+400)
- Tom Hoge: Top 10 (+2500), Top 20 (+1000)
- Jacob Bridgeman: Outright (+10000) Top 20 (+400)
Securing the best odds is essential in golf wagering. Since odds can differ among sportsbooks, it is advisable to establish accounts with multiple trusted books. This approach allows for effective comparison shopping for prices on outright bets and placement propositions, often the difference between an okay week and a profitable one.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
