Charley Hoffman made a single bogey and shot a 9-under 63 at the Nicklaus Tournament Course, his lowest round on Tour since the 2023 RSM Classic, to take a share of the lead at 16-under at The American Express.

“I was hitting fairways and then I was able to attack into the greens, hitting some wedge shots close and obviously making a few putts,” said the American. “It’s one of those golf courses if you keep the ball in front of you, you can attack some of those pins. If you don’t, you’re not able to. I was able to make a few putts hit some wedges close and it all added up to a 63.

“This is paradise if you like golf. Unfortunately, I have a lot of bad memories being here too, playing Q-Schools and not playing as good as I wanted to, but I started early in my career playing a lot of Q-Schools out here in the desert. But it’s nice to come out and start your year here. Good practice facilities, good weather, and you can hone your skills in a little bit more than the off-season winter.”

Hoffman’s 128 total marks his career-best opening 36-hole score on the PGA Tour where he has won four times so far in 516 starts, the first at The American Express in 2007 when it was still called the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and most recently at the 2016 Valero Texas Open.

The Philippines’ Rico Hoey also shot a 63 having made one bogey playing at the Nicklaus Tournament Course and matched his career-low round on Tour shot at last year’s American Express.

“I wish we were playing like four rounds out here,” said Hoey. “But, yeah, I just like Nicklaus, I played a lot of junior events out here, so just feels like I’m home and just, yeah, it’s great. Weather’s awesome, so we don’t really have too many tough conditions with the wind and whatnot. Made it a lot easier to score.”

Austrian Sepp Straka is one of three players still bogey-free after 36-holes (Sam Burns/T20, Taylor Moore/T31). He sits in a share of third place at 15-under alongside Americans Justin Lower (66) and Mark Hubbard (bogey-free, 64).

Nick Taylor, who won at last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii, sits in T8 three strokes off the lead. The last player to win in back-to-back starts on Tour was Rory McIlroy (2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 2024 Truist Championship).

First-round leader J.T. Poston closed with a 4-over 76 on the Stadium Course and moved down into T58 at 6-under.

*

The American Express, the third event of the 2025  Season and second Full-Field Event, marks the second opportunity for players to earn FedExCup points towards the Aon Swing 5 with entry into each of the next two Signature Events (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational).

The Aon Next 10 and Aon Swing 5 are eligibility pathways for players, not already qualified, to play their way into Signature Events via the FedExCup standings.

The top five players, not otherwise exempt, who earn the most FedExCup points during the Sony Open in Hawaii, The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open will qualify for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, while the top five players not otherwise exempt who earn the most FedExCup points during those three events and the WM Phoenix Open, will qualify for The Genesis Invitational.

The Aon Next 10 for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational was determined through the 2024 FedExCup Fall standings.