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.

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).

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

Sepp Straka is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, but there are still plenty of golf fans who don't really know who he is. That might change in light of his strong performance in The American Express.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 won The American Express by two shots over Justin Thomas on Sunday, finishing his third career PGA Tour victory at 25-under 263 with a final-round 70. Straka, the first Austrian to win on the tour three years ago,

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.