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 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.

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.

Sepp Straka boatraced his closest competitors for most of the back nine at the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West Sunday afternoon in the closing round of T. With a relatively comfortable lead, he could even afford two bogeys on the final three holes – his first of the 72-hole tournament – before closing it out with a two-putt for his third career PGA Tour victory.

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.

Straka played with his first 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour on Sunday, and he managed to maintain control of the tournament until the end.

The win earned the 31-year-old Straka his first title since the 2023 John Deere Classic and the $1,584,000 first-place check, the largest of his career.

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

Thomas earned $959,200 for his 23-under-par performance in Palm Springs, Calif., which pushed him well over the $60-million mark in career earnings. He now checks in at $60,827,898, surpassing Matt Kuchar for 12th place on the tour’s career money list. Kuchar is at $60,335,682.

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — 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.