Jon Rahm, the reigning U.S. Open champion and the No. 1 player in the world, will return to The American Express later this month.
Rahm won the 2018 American Express event but has not played in the tournament the last two years. He was scheduled to play in the 2021 tournament but withdrew just days before the event when he tweaked a muscle in a gym session.
As the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, Rahm will be the first No. 1 to play in the event since Justin Rose was No. 1 when he played in the 2019 event. The tournament will be played January 19-23 at three courses La Quinta Country Club, and the Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament courses at PGA West.
Rahm joins a field that includes host and reigning PGA champion Phil Mickelson, defending champion Si Woo Kim, former British Open winner Francesco Molinari, 2021 PGA Tour rookie of the year Will Zalatoris, five-time Tour winner Rickie Fowler, and U.S. Ryder Cup members Tony Finau and Scott Scheffler.
Jon Rahm (left) and Tony Finau share a laugh coming to the 4th green during the third round of The Northern Trust at the Liberty National Golf Club. Photo by Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
The tournament has also announced that Abraham Ancer of Mexico, fifth in the event last year and second two years ago, has committed to the event.
Rahm won the 2018 tournament in a four-hole playoff with Andrew Landry. In 2021, Rahm experienced the highs and lows of the season. He held a six-shot lead after the third round of the Memorial tournament in Ohio only to be pulled from the field because of a positive COVID-19 test. Two weeks later, Rahm rolled home critical putts on the final two holes of the fourth round to win the U.S. Open on the South Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego, his first major championship.
Abraham Ancer prepares to play a shot on the 11th hole during the second round of The American Express tournament on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West on January 22, 2021 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
A star at Arizona State, the same university attended by Mickelson, Rahm has six PGA Tour wins and seven DP World Tour wins.
Ancer’s first PGA Tour victory came last August in the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. He is currently ranked 17th in the OWGR.
Players have until January 14 to commit to the $7.6 million event.