'Korea's No. 1' Kim Siwoo Dreams of 'Again 2021'

Chasing a Second Victory at the American Express
Fond Memories of Winning at 23-Under Par in 2021
A Fresh Start with a Tied 11th Finish at Last Week's Sony Open

'Korea's No. 1' Kim Siwoo is dreaming of 'Again 2021.'

On January 22 (local time), Kim will compete in the American Express, a PGA Tour event held in La Quinta, California, United States, with a total prize purse of 9.2 million dollars. The tournament is played across three courses in La Quinta: the Pete Dye Stadium Course (par 72, 7,210 yards), La Quinta Country Club (par 72, 7,060 yards), and the Nicklaus Tournament Course (par 72, 7,147 yards).

Siwoo Kim challenges for victory at American Express. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

During the first to third rounds, players rotate through the three courses, and only the top 65 advance to the final fourth round at the Pete Dye Stadium Course to determine the winner. The tournament is known for its abundance of birdies and eagles, with the winning score exceeding 25-under par for three consecutive years.

Kim Siwoo has collected four career victories on the PGA Tour, including a win at The Players Championship, considered the fifth major. He has particularly fond memories of this tournament, having won it in 2021 with a score of 23-under par. His form this year is also solid; last week, he finished tied for 11th at the Sony Open, the PGA Tour's season opener. He moved up four spots to 42nd in the latest men's world golf rankings, the highest among Korean players.

In addition to Kim Siwoo, Korean players Kim Sung-hyun, Kim Joo-hyung, and Lee Seung-taek will also compete. It is unfortunate that Im Sung-jae has withdrawn; he originally planned to start his PGA Tour season at this event but pulled out due to right wrist pain sustained during recent training.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (United States) is aiming for victory in his first tournament of the new year. Scheffler, who has 19 career PGA Tour wins, claimed seven titles in 2024 and six in 2025, establishing himself as the dominant force. He did not participate in this year's Sony Open. In addition to Scheffler, world No. 5 Russell Henley (United States), No. 6 Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), No. 8 Ben Griffin (United States), and No. 10 Justin Rose (England) will be in the field.