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Si Woo Kim makes holes for a birdie from the fringe off the first green on the Nicklaus Tournament Course during the first round of The American Express in La Quinta, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nSouth Korea’s Si Woo Kim shot 6-under par 66 and he claimed a one-shot lead through the third round of The American Express on Saturday at La Quinta, Calif.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Kim is at 22-under 194 going into Sunday’s final round.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and third-round co-leader Blades Brown both shot 68s on the Pete Dye Stadium Course. They’re one shot behind Kim and tied for second place.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Scheffler scrambled for par on the final hole, with his second shot into the greenside rough. He used a 25-foot par putt to salvage the hole and avoid his second bogey on the backside.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n Brown, 18, posted birdies on his final three holes, including a 43-footer on the par-4 18th a day after recording 60.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Kim’s round at LaQuinta Country Club included seven birdies with a bogey as he bids for his second championship in the tournament, which he won in 2021. He rolled in three straight birdie putts on his back nine.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Eric Cole (66) and Wyndham Clark (66) are tied for fourth place at 20 under. Cole had the lead earlier in the round after a chip-in.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n At 19 under, Tom Hoge (65), Matt McCarty (68) and Andrew Putnam (65) are within range. Putnam, who had a 60 on Friday, followed that with a solid round on the Nicklaus Tournament Course.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n –Field Level Media<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n