Sepp Straka shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday while his top competitors failed to match his sizzling pace, staking the Austrian to a four-shot lead over Charley Hoffman, Jason Day and Justin Lower after three rounds at The American Express.

Sepp Straka boatraced his closest competitors for most of the back nine at the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West Sunday afternoon in the closing round of T. With a relatively comfortable lead, he could even afford two bogeys on the final three holes – his first of the 72-hole tournament – before closing it out with a two-putt for his third career PGA Tour victory.

The Austrian completed a virtually blemish-free week with a two-under 70 to claim his first PGA Tour title since the 2023 John Deere Classic

Straka made a bogey on the par-5 16th hole Sunday, his first of the week in the desert, and then added a bogey on the par-4 18th. All that kept him from reaching the tournament scoring record set by Nick Dunlap last year.

Sepp Straka overcomes some late nerves to claim his third PGA Tour title by edgin out Justin Thomas at The American Express.

For the third time in his PGA Tour career, Sepp Straka hoisted a trophy at tournament's end. Converting a four-stroke lead at the 54-hole mark into a victory at the 2025 American Express, Straka fended off a crowded chasing pack headlined by Justin Thomas.

I think that was the biggest challenge today was keeping aggressive on my targets,” Straka said after his two-under 70. “Nerves, just complete nerves. Stomach in a knot, the whole nine. So, yeah, just really excited about the way I handed the pressure today.

It might not have mattered anyway, since Sepp Straka refused to buckle until it didn't matter. Straka, one of more than a dozen active PGA Tour players from the University of Georgia, followed up his third-round 64 with a 70 on Sunday at the Stadium Course and at 25-under-par 263 won The American Express by two shots over Justin Thomas (66).

Leading final round scores on Sunday in the US PGA Tour's American Express tournament in La Quinta, California (USA unless stated; par-72):

The Austrian completed a virtually blemish-free week with a two-under 70 to claim his first PGA Tour title since the 2023 John Deere Classic

Pro Charley Hoffman dumped two golf balls into the water during the American Express — then got a “big break” after an intriguing rules talk.