Sepp Straka had never entered a final round with a lead on the PGA Tour until Sunday. In his two previous victories, he had to charge from far behind on the final day with no time to feel the nerves that roiled his stomach from the first tee onward at The American Express.

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

Austria’s Sepp Straka clinched his third PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at The American Express in California. Heading into Sunday’s final round with a four-shot lead, Straka was able to hold his nerve despite two late dropped shots to get across the line carding two under 70.

Austria's Sepp Straka clinched his third PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at The American Express in California.

Sepp Straka is the leader in the final round of the 2025 The American Express, the PGA Tour's kickoff to the West Coast Swing at PGA West on the Pete Dye Stadium Course. With Straka carrying a sizable lead into the final day,

Sepp Straka held off Justin Thomas by two shots at The American Express to claim his third PGA Tour title; the 31-year-old Austria was on the verge of becoming the first tour player since 2022 to play 72 bogey-free holes in a victory,

Straka, who didn't have a bogey in the tournament until Sunday's 16th hole, won for the third time on the PGA Tour and for the first time since the 2023 John Deere Classic.

Straka shot 8-under-par 64 for the second day in a row to surge to the lead on Saturday at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif. He's at 23 under and will take a four-stroke lead to Sunday's final round on Pete Day Stadium Course.

LA QUINTA – The last two times Sepp Straka played in The American Express, a 23-under score – somebody else’s – won the tournament. Is it his turn this time?

Straka went 69 holes in the La Quinta tournament without a bogey before making bogeys on two of his final three holes. But he was so strong before that the two late bogeys only cut into his margin of victory.