An unusually difficult Stadium Course gave those players on the Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club a leg up

J.T. Poston shot a 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead over Justin Lower in the opening round of The American Express on Thursday.

J.T. Poston shot a 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead over Justin Lower in the opening round of The American Express on Thursday. Poston carded nine birdies and an eagle on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West in the Palm Springs-area desert.

Sony Open winner Nick Taylor is the leading earner in this week’s American Express, topping a list of 10 players among the top 20 on the PGA Tour money list who are at PGA West and the La Quinta Country Club in Palm Springs,

A stampede up the leaderboard, led by J.T. Poston’s 10-under 62 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West, signaled business as usual for The American Express. By the end of the day, 17 golfers had shot 65 or lower on a beautiful desert day with no sign of the fierce winds that have been pounding the Los Angeles area in the past week sparking wildfires that will force a move of the Genesis to an unnamed alternate course next month.