Austrian Golfer Sepp Straka Triumphs at American Express

Sepp Straka wins the American Express golf tournament, finishing two strokes ahead of Justin Thomas despite feeling intense pressure throughout his final round.

Austrian golfer Sepp Straka secured his third PGA Tour title with a convincing win at the American Express in La Quinta, California. Straka carded a two-under-par 70 to finish two strokes ahead of the competition. The 31-year-old's victory was marked by a mix of strong play and nervous moments, particularly towards the end of the round.

The first TOUR winner from Austria now has three 🏆🏆🏆@SeppStraka is victorious @TheAmExGolf! pic.twitter.com/MjNY73FPjU

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 20, 2025

Straka began the day with a four-shot lead over three players and maintained this advantage after sinking his fourth birdie of the day at the par-three 13th hole. However, his lead was reduced to three strokes after he bogeyed the par-five 16th hole, his first bogey of the week. Straka's second shot from the fairway drifted right, and his 15-foot putt to save par slipped past the hole. Despite this setback, Straka's overall performance was strong enough to secure the win.

Straka admitted that he felt intense pressure as he approached the finish line. “It was nerves, complete nerves,” he said, describing his emotions as he tried to close out the victory. Despite these nerves, Straka's 25-under-par total was enough to put him two strokes clear of Justin Thomas, who carded a six-under-par 66 to finish second.

Justin Thomas's strong finish was not enough to catch Straka, and he ultimately finished two strokes behind the winner. Another former world number one, Jason Day, was tied with Thomas for second place but dropped to a tie for third after bogeying the 18th hole. Day finished with a three-under-par 69, level with American Justin Lower, who also posted a 69.

Despite feeling intense pressure throughout his round, Sepp Straka maintained a composed exterior. “Stomach in a knot the whole nine,” he revealed, describing the anxiety he experienced during his final round at the American Express. However, his nerves did not hinder his performance, as he began his round with an 11-foot birdie at the first hole and added two more birdies at the fourth and seventh holes.

Back in the winner's circle 🏆
@SeppStraka wins by two @TheAmExGolf. pic.twitter.com/KSCZotZ4zI

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 20, 2025

Charlie Hoffman, who was tied for second place at the start of the day, made a strong push to catch Straka. Hoffman carded four birdies on the front nine, reducing Straka's lead by one stroke. However, his chances of securing a fifth career title, and his first since 2016, were dashed when he triple-bogeyed the 13th hole. Hoffman's troubles at the 13th were compounded by two visits to the water, ultimately leading to a one-under-par 71 and a tie for fifth place with Patrick Cantlay.

Straka acknowledged the challenges posed by the golf course, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an aggressive mindset. “This golf course, you can't really let up,” he said. “I think that was the biggest challenge today was keeping aggressive on my targets.” Straka also credited his putter for saving him from potential bogeys throughout the round. “I had a lot of chances for bogeys out there, but the putter saved me a lot of times,” he added.

Thomas Falls Short of Comeback

Justin Thomas's bid to overcome a six-shot deficit and win the American Express stalled despite a strong start. The American, who has 15 titles to his name, including the 2022 PGA Championship, began his round with five birdies on the front nine. He sank 16-foot birdie putts at the second and ninth holes, and added another at the 11th.

Thomas reflected on his performance, saying, “I played well, I had a chance. I did what I needed to do on the front nine today (to) at least be making some noise and moving up the leaderboard.” However, he was unable to sustain his momentum, and his birdie opportunities dried up in the California desert near Palm Springs. Thomas acknowledged this, stating, “It was unfortunate to kind of stall there after 11.” Despite falling short of his goal, Thomas was proud of his overall performance, saying, “(I) really, really played some great golf today, hit some really good shots, made some great putts and hit some great putts, too, that didn't go in.”