American Express Preview: Scheffler Sets the Standard for Day, Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim

The American Express rarely looks like a Presidents Cup venue test. La Quinta rewards low scoring, patience through a pro-am format, and comfort across multiple courses. Still, the 2026 field gives Presidents Cup watchers something useful: Scottie Scheffler, Jason Day, Tom Kim, and Si Woo Kim are all listed in the field, creating an early comparison point between the top American standard and several International Team pieces.

The week offers an early-season comparison in a birdie-heavy environment. Keeping pace requires players to create chances repeatedly across the course rotation and to maintain their rhythm during the pro-am rounds.

Scheffler as the Barometer

Scheffler's presence changes the value of the event. When the world No. 1 appears in a full-field tournament, every player with team ambitions gets a live benchmark. Presidents Cup golf is match play, not a 72-hole shootout, but captains still care about how often their players can keep up with the sport's most dependable scorers.

For Brandt Snedeker's U.S. side, Scheffler's week is less about proving he belongs and more about seeing how sharp he is in his first PGA TOUR start of the calendar year. Golf Monthly's field report noted that Scheffler was making his first start of 2026 at the event. That makes the tournament a clean opening data point for the American core.

International Names to Track

The International watch list begins with Jason Day, Tom Kim, and Si Woo Kim. All three appear in the PGA TOUR field list, giving the event several distinct International Team candidates to follow through the same course rotation.

Day's value is experience. If his body and scoring remain stable, he gives Ogilvy a veteran option who can play with different personalities and handle difficult moments. In four-ball, his putting and short game can still swing holes quickly.

Tom Kim's value is energy and precision. He has already shown that team golf can elevate him, but the 2026 question is whether he can turn that spark into consistent week-to-week scoring. A desert event with plenty of birdie chances is a useful place to measure whether his approach play is sharp enough to keep pace with elite American scoring.

Si Woo Kim brings a different profile. His best golf is creative, streaky, and dangerous. He has also won on Pete Dye designs, including THE PLAYERS Championship earlier in his career, so the Stadium Course portion of the rotation is a natural place to watch his comfort level.

Scoring Across the Course Rotation

Across multiple courses, a low-scoring event rewards players who keep making chances as their surroundings change. A strong round on one layout must be followed by another on the next. For the International candidates, that makes consistency across the rotation as useful to watch as a single run of birdies.

What Counts as a Good Week

The best International outcome would be at least one of Day, Tom Kim, or Si Woo Kim staying near Scheffler through the weekend. The result does not need to be a win to matter. A high finish would show that Ogilvy's potential middle order has players who can keep pace when birdies are required.

The worst outcome would be a week where Scheffler immediately separates and the International names disappear from the first page of the leaderboard. That would not settle anything in January, but it would reinforce the gap the International Team has to close before Medinah.

This is why The American Express is worth watching carefully but cautiously. It is not a roster verdict. It is a first form check with enough confirmed names to make the Presidents Cup angle legitimate.