2025 American Express: A young gun, a deserving champion and an unlucky 13

Another American Express is in the books. It featured perfect weather, the youngest player ever to play in this event and a worthy champion.

Here are the 10 things that I’ll remember most from this year’s American Express:

Introducing Blades Brown

For many, myself included, the 2025 American Express will be remembered as the debut of 17-year-old golfer Blades Brown.

The talented and affable teen captured the imagination of the crowd with his impressive game and genial nature. After an even-par 72 in his first-ever PGA round as a pro, he settled in and got hot in his second round shooting an 8-under 64 which included six straight birdies.

Brown had it all the way to 11 under on Saturday, but stumbled down the stretch including a water ball on the famed 17th island green. He finished 6 under for the tournament, missing the cut by three strokes.

I followed him around for all 18 holes of his first round and had a chance to talk to him twice and I feel like Brown has that “it” quality of a future star. There have been talented young players before, but if I had to bet, I’d say Brown will follow through and be a star on this tour for a long time.

Ex-sepp-tional effort from Sepp Straka

Golf tournaments aren’t usually won on a Friday, but it’s easy to make the argument that this year’s American Express was.

Straka shot a sizzling 8-under 64 on the Stadium Course, clearly the toughest of the three courses. So even though he wasn’t in the lead after two days, he had the best score among golfers who had gotten the toughie out of the way.

So it was no surprise that he surged into the third-round lead playing the easier La Quinta Country Club. That sizzling Friday round allowed him to be four strokes up entering Sunday’s play. And with Straka being a two-time winner already on the PGA tour, he did not wilt.

Rickie Fowler still a fan favorite

Southern California golf fans adore one of their own, and Rickie Fowler of Murrieta still garners a lot of love around the golf course. And the Fowler faithful had reason to cheer this week as Rickie fired a 62 on Friday to match the lowest round of any golfer during the event.

Fowler finished 15 under in a tie for 23rd. He hasn’t had much success in this event. In seven previous outings here, Fowler’s best finish is tied for 10th and he’s missed the cut three times.

An ace spoken into existence

This was one of those you-had-to-be-there moments, but I turned to my colleagues in the media room early on Sunday and said, “I don’t think there’s been a hole-in-one this week.”

I was wrong and quickly chastised there had been one by Sami Valimaki on Thursday. But as the words were coming out of my mouth, Kris Ventura teed off on the 208-yard 13th hole at the Stadium Course and sure enough it landed softly and rolled in. Weird coincidence.

Then Jim Alexander of the Southern California News Group was the first to quickly say “Ace Ventura!” We gave him a golf clap for the quick thinking.

Unlucky number 13

Pros, they’re so like us. Like watching a horror movie through your fingers, it was hard to look away from PGA Tour rookie William Mauw recording a 13 on the 16th hole at the Stadium Course on Friday.

The par-5 with the famous extra deep 20-foot walled greenside bunker was a torture chamber for Mauw. He went into that bunker with his second shot, his third shot made it out of the bunker over the green, his return shot went back into the bunker, next shot stayed in, next shot stayed in, next shot went over the green again, next chip went back into the bunker, next shot stayed in, next shot was sent back toward the fairway, next shot over the green and then a chip back a two-putt from 60 feet.

It all added up to an octuple bogey.

When asked about it the following day, he said “When it’s happening, you just have to laugh at it. I wasn’t the first and I won’t be the last on that hole, but I just had to laugh at a certain point.”

My five new guys

Every year one of my favorite parts of this event is learning about golfers I hadn’t really heard of before. This year for me, that group includes Rico Hoey, Justin Lower, Jake Knapp, Isaiah Salinda and Max Greyserman. Now when any of these five players win on the tour, I’ll be able to say “Hey, that’s that guy from the 2025 American Express.” And the people around me will think “That’s a weird thing to say.”

Autograph alley

A robust autograph opportunity has developed at The American Express and fans have made good use of it.

After pros come off the course, they have to sign their card at a small trailer between the 9th and 18th greens at the Stadium Course. Once they come out of the trailers, golf fans have learned to wait by the perimeter fence and shout to their favorites.

Sure enough, player after player signed people’s golf balls, flags, matchbooks. One guy didn’t have anything while defending champ Nick Dunlap was signing so he took his shoe off and had him sign it.

Blades Brown, Sam Burns and Dunlap spent about 20 minutes each signing autographs after their Saturday rounds. Good stuff.

Charley in charge again

A fun through-line for this event was 48-year-old Charley Hoffman who won the American Express in 2007. He was in contention all week, leading after 36 holes and in the final group on Sunday before finishing tied for fifth at 20 under.

One reason he has success here? He genuinely likes playing with amateurs.

“Somewhere inside me, I embrace the pro-am aspect, I embrace playing with amateurs, I embrace getting to know these guys and hanging out with them, having them root for me while we’re playing, I embrace that,” Hoffman said. “Sometimes it’s hard for other people, but I really do enjoy playing with amateurs, getting to know them, trying to help them play a better round of golf than I do. I think that’s the difference between I would say me and maybe a newer guy on tour.”

Nick Dunlap with a decent defense

Defending champion Nick Dunlap made the cut on the number and then shot a solid 68 on Sunday to finish tied for 34th. He joked that making the cut means he’ll earn more money this year than he did last year as the champion.

Remember, since he was an amateur here last year, he didn’t win any of the first-place prize money in 2024. He has since turned pro and for the record his tied-for-34th finish this year earned him $42,094.

And a final word from Sepp Straka’s 2-year-old son

Sepp Straka’s wife Katie and 2-year old son Leo were not able to attend this week, but Straka said he was able to FaceTime with them right after his win. What did they say?

“Well, a lot of goo-goo, ga-ga from Leo,” he said with a laugh.

Straka said this was his first win as a dad so that meant a lot to him. Straka has two other wins on the PGA Tour, but they were before Leo was born in December 2023.

Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.powers @desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 2025 American Express: A young gun, a deserving champion and an unlucky 13