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 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,

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.

Straka shot an 8-under 64 on Saturday in his third straight bogey-free round, staking the newly bald Austrian to a four-shot lead over Charley Hoffman, Jason Day and Justin Lower in the Coachella Valley desert.

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.

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.

Sepp Straka won $1,584,000 million for capturing his third PGA Tour title on Jan. 19 at The American Express. It was enough to jump 18 spots on the money list. It wasn't enough to catch Hideki Matsuyama or Collin Morikawa.