The American Express Winners and History

The American Express Winners and History

The American Express hits a new high — or perhaps low — in tournament branding. The tournament formerly known as the Bob Hope Desert Classic now has absolutely nothing in the name that suggests there’s an athletic event occurring.

In 2024, the tournament made history as Nick Dunlap became just the eighth amateur to win a PGA TOUR event.

The American Express formerly has been known as the Desert Classic, CareerBuilder Challenge, Palm Springs Golf Classic, the Bob Hope Desert Classic, the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, and the Humana Challenge.

The American Express continues the tradition of a pro-am format:

• The first three rounds played in a pro-am format.
• For each day of the three-round, pro-am competition, the professional has a different amateur partner. Amateurs will compete in daily competitions as well as an overall, three-day competition.
• Round 4 is professionals only with a normal 70 + ties cut.
• The top three low net and low gross amateurs will play alongside the pros on Sunday to determine the overall winners .
• The overall low net amateur and low gross amateur playing on Sunday will be awarded crystal as the 2015 Careerbuilder Challenge Amateur Champion after play on Sunday.
• The field size for the event is 156 professionals and 156 amateurs.

Three courses are used for The American Express:

• TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, 7,113 yards, par 72. This is the fifth year as host course. The 1986 design is a Pete Dye product.
• PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament course (7,159/72). PGA West has been used since 1986.
• La Quinta CC (7,060/72) in the first three rounds. La Quinta has been used off-and-on since 1964 ( 1964–1986, 1988, 1991–1992, 1994–1995, 1997–1998, 2000–2001, 2003, 2005–2008, 2010–present)

The tournament began life in 1960 as the Palm Spring Classic. In 1965 comedian Bob Hope added his name to the tournament and became Chairman of the Board. Hope died in 2003 at age 100, but “The Hope” as a tournament lasted until 2011.

The Classic’s biggest draw was—and continues to be—the celebrity Pro-Am competition which has attracted some of each era’s biggest celebrities. Of note was Dwight Eisenhower, who became the first president to play in a Tour event. History was made at the tournament in 1995 when the pro-am team of Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, and defending champion Scott Hoch teed up for the tournament’s opening round. The event marked the first time a sitting president – Clinton – had played during a PGA Tour event and perhaps the first time three presidents had ever played together.

The first tournament was won by Arnold Palmer with a final score of 338, or 22 under par. Palmer would win the event five times:  1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1973.

More Hope Classic history: David Duval shot a 59 in the final round of the event in 1999. For a recount of the round, visit here.

Year	Player	Score	To par	Margin
The American Express
2024	Nick Dunlap (amateur)	259	-29	1 stroke
2023	Jon Rahm (2)	261	-27	1 stroke
2022	Hudson Swafford	265	-23	2 strokes
2021	Kim Si-Woo	265	-23	1 stroke
2020	Andrew Landry	262	-26	2 strokes
Desert Classic presented by Workday
2019	Adam Long	262	−26	1 stroke
CareerBuilder Challenge in Partnership with the Clinton Foundation
2018	Jon Rahm	266	−22	Playoff
2017	Hudson Swafford	268	−20	1 stroke
2016	Jason Dufner	263	−25	Playoff
Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation
2015	Bill Haas (2)	266	−22	1 stroke
2014	Patrick Reed	260	−28	2 strokes
2013	Brian Gay	263	−25	Playoff
2012	Mark Wilson	264	−24	2 strokes
Bob Hope Classic
2011	Jhonattan Vegas	333	−27	Playoff
2010	Bill Haas	330	−30	1 stroke
2009	Pat Perez	327	−33	3 strokes
Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
2008	D. J. Trahan	334	−26	3 strokes
2007	Charley Hoffman	343	−17	Playoff
2006	Chad Campbell	335	−25	3 strokes
2005	Justin Leonard	332	−28	3 strokes
2004	Phil Mickelson (2)	330	−30	Playoff
2003	Mike Weir	330	−30	2 strokes
2002	Phil Mickelson	330	−30	Playoff
2001	Joe Durant	324	−36	4 strokes
2000	Jesper Parnevik	331	−27	1 stroke
1999	David Duval	334	−26	1 stroke
1998	Fred Couples	332	−28	Playoff
1997	John Cook (2)	327	−33	1 stroke
1996	Mark Brooks	337	−23	1 stroke
1995	Kenny Perry	335	−25	1 stroke
1994	Scott Hoch	334	−26	3 strokes
1993	Tom Kite	325	−35	6 strokes
1992	John Cook	336	−24	Playoff
1991	Corey Pavin (2)	331	−29	Playoff
1990	Peter Jacobsen	339	−21	1 stroke
1989	Steve Jones	343	−17	Playoff
1988	Jay Haas	338	−22	2 strokes
1987	Corey Pavin	341	−19	1 stroke
1986	Donnie Hammond	335	−25	Playoff
Bob Hope Classic
1985	Lanny Wadkins	333	−27	Playoff
1984	John Mahaffey (2)	340	−20	Playoff
Bob Hope Desert Classic
1983	Keith Fergus	335	−25	Playoff
1982	Ed Fiori	335	−25	Playoff
1981	Bruce Lietzke	335	−25	2 strokes
1980	Craig Stadler	343	−17	2 strokes
1979	John Mahaffey	343	−17	1 stroke
1978	Bill Rogers	339	−21	2 strokes
1977	Rik Massengale	337	−23	6 strokes
1976	Johnny Miller (2)	344	−16	3 strokes
1975	Johnny Miller	339	−21	3 strokes
1974	Hubert Green	341	−19	2 strokes
1973	Arnold Palmer (5)	343	−17	2 strokes
1972	Bob Rosburg	344	−16	1 stroke
1971	Arnold Palmer (4)	342	−18	Playoff
1970	Bruce Devlin	339	−21	4 strokes
1969	Billy Casper (2)	345	−15	3 strokes
1968	Arnold Palmer (3)	348	−12	Playoff
1967	Tom Nieporte	349	−11	1 stroke
1966	Doug Sanders	349	−11	Playoff
1965	Billy Casper	348	−12	1 stroke
Palm Springs Golf Classic
1964	Tommy Jacobs	353	−7	Playoff
1963	Jack Nicklaus	345	−13	Playoff
1962	Arnold Palmer (2)	342	−17	3 strokes
1961	Billy Maxwell	345	−14	2 strokes
Palm Springs Desert Golf Classic
1960	Arnold Palmer	338	−20	3 strokes