"The American Express is a unique format: three courses with short, scorable desert tracks at PGA West Stadium Course, plus La Quinta and the Nicklaus Tournament Course in the rotation. The winning score is pretty much pre-written at 20-under or better. This is a green light event, where fairways are wide, pins are attackable and birdies are plentiful. Power and distance isn't required. Instead, what matters is who can create chances with wedges and short irons, and actually convert when scoring is easy."
"Griffin is a name I kept coming back to last season and this year feels like a continuation into 2026 rather than a reset. He consistently gains tee-to-green, with his biggest edge coming on approach, the most repeatable skill in golf and one that matters most at The American Express. This tournament turns into a birdie race across easy scoring conditions, so Griffin's iron play puts him in a position to score without needing hero shots."
"What separates him here is balance. Griffin gains with his irons, but he's also competent around the greens and his putting is steady enough to avoid bleeding rounds. At courses where low scores are required, that well-roundedness comes into play. At -115, his efficiency makes him a buy. I contemplated Top 10, but I always lean on the conservative end in golf."
The American Express uses a three-course rotation of short, scorable desert layouts (PGA West Stadium Course, La Quinta, Nicklaus Tournament Course) and typically yields winning scores around 20-under or better. Wide fairways, attackable pins and plentiful birdie opportunities create a birdie race that prioritizes approach play and wedge/short-iron creation and conversion. Power and distance are less critical than repeatable iron play, short-game competence and steady putting. Ben Griffin profiles well for a Top-20 at -115 because of consistent tee-to-green gains, a clear approach edge, balanced play around the greens, and reliable putting that preserves low rounds.
Read at ESPN.com
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