Scottie Scheffler has maintained his position as world number one since May 2023.
The American Express, Round One Leaderboard
-10 M Lee (Aus), P Coody (US); -9 V Whaley (US), S Scheffler (US), S Kim (Kor), R MacIntyre (Sco), J Day (Aus); -8 A Novak (US), S Stevens (US), B Horschel (US)
Selected others: -7 H English (US), A Scott (Aus); -6 M Wallace (Eng), W Clark (US); -5 S Power (Irl), J Parry (Eng)
In his first PGA Tour appearance of the season, world number one Scottie Scheffler carded a nine-under 63 in the opening round of the American Express in California.
The 29-year-old, making his first start of the year, is vying for his inaugural American Express title, with the winner set to claim a prize of £1,236,000 ($1.656m).
Scheffler is currently one stroke behind the leaders at La Quinta, Min Woo Lee of Australia and Pierceson Coody of the United States, who are tied for the lead.
He shares second place with a group of players, including Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and former US PGA champion Jason Day.
Notably, the tournament format involves play across three different courses before Saturday’s cut.
Scheffler started strong with birdies on five of his first six holes, while Coody surged ahead by carding successive birdies en route to a 29 on the back nine.