Siwoo Kim Shines in La Quinta with 9-Under 63

Kim Sung-hyun Tied for Third with Siwoo Kim in American Express First Round
Chance for First Win in Five Years Since 2021 Victory at This Tournament
Min Woo Lee and Coody Share Lead, Scheffler Also Tied for Third

Siwoo Kim has signaled a strong chance to reclaim the championship after five years.

On January 22 (local time), at the Nicklaus Tournament Course (par 72, 7,147 yards) in La Quinta, California, USA, Kim recorded a bogey-free round with nine birdies, finishing the first round of the PGA Tour American Express (total prize money: 9.2 million dollars) at 9-under-par 63. Kim is tied for third place alongside Kim Sung-hyun, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), and Jason Day (Australia).

Siwoo Kim is fist-bumping with his caddie after finishing the first round of the American Express with a 9-under-par 63. La Quinta, USA - Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Kim won this tournament in 2021 with a score of 23-under-par. He is now aiming for his fifth career PGA Tour victory, three years after his last win at the Sony Open in January 2023. Last week, he finished tied for 11th at the Sony Open, which marked the opening event of the 2026 PGA Tour season. Currently ranked 42nd in the world, he holds the highest position among Korean players.

This tournament holds the first three rounds across three courses: the Nicklaus Tournament Course, La Quinta Country Club (par 72, 7,060 yards), and the Pete Dye Stadium Course (par 72, 7,210 yards). Afterward, the top 65 players advance to the final fourth round at the Stadium Course to determine the winner.

Min Woo Lee (Australia) and Pierceson Coody (USA) are tied for the lead at 10-under-par 62. Lee Seung-taek, who debuted on the PGA Tour this year, is tied for 71st with a 4-under-par 68, while Kim Joo-hyung is tied for 131st at even-par 72. For the past three years, the winning score at this tournament has exceeded 25-under-par, and this year, with 10-under-par already leading after the first day, players have found the courses relatively easy to attack.