American Express Odds & Favorites 2024: Scheffler Returns to Pole Position in Strong Field

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler returns to action this week as the betting favorite by the American Express odds from our best golf betting sites.

The 2024 golf season began with back-to-back events in Hawaii, as Chris Kirk and Grayson Murray claimed victories. The PGA Tour now returns to the mainland with a strong field and Scottie Scheffler as the betting favorite for The American Express.

Scheffler enters yet another week at No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). He's joined among this week's early betting favorites by Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Justin Thomas.

Jon Rahm, the defending champion of this event, has since moved on to LIV Golf.

Below, we break down the best American Express odds from our best sports betting apps.

American Express odds 2024

Odds last updated Monday at 2 p.m. ET.

American Express picks

American Express favorite

Scottie Scheffler (+650 via BetMGM)

Scheffler tied for fifth in the season-opening Sentry in Hawaii. That continued a trend that saw him finish in the top 10 of 15 of his 21 events last year while winning three tournaments. The World No. 1 has just seven rounds played at the Stadium Course in his career, but he finished third in this event in 2020 and tied for 11th last year.

Scheffler is the rightful favorite, especially in any event not featuring Rahm or Rory McIlroy, but the odds are too steep in a quality field. I'm passing on an outright ticket for Scheffler, unless one of our other best sports betting sites posts a better number a little later this week.

American Express field notes

This field features four of the top 10 golfers in the OWGR, with Cantlay, Schauffele, and reigning U.S. Open champ Wyndham Clark joining Scheffler.

We'll also see the return of Daniel Berger, who'll be teeing it up in a competitive event for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open. Once ranked as high as No. 12 in the OWGR, he enters this week at 664th after battling injuries.

Will Zalatoris is back for a second straight event after missing the cut in Hawaii last week. He tied for sixth in the 2022 American Express and for 36th last year.

Hudson Swafford, the 2022 victor of this tournament, has also since departed for LIV Golf, making 2021 tournament champion Si Woo Kim the most recent winner at this venue in the field.

Pete Dye Stadium Course info

• Par: 72
• Length: 7,187 yards
• Greens: Bermuda
• Architect: Pete Dye

Note: The American Express is played over a three-course rotation with every play in the field playing the Stadium Course once during their first three rounds, and all players who make the 54-hole cut play the Stadium Course again for Sunday's final round.

American Express tournament info

• Where: Pete Dye Stadium Course, La Quinta, CA
• When: Thursday, Jan. 18 - Sunday, Jan. 21
• Field: 156
• 2023 champion: Jon Rahm
• Purse: $8.4 million
• FedEx Cup points: 500

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