By Rick Riozza
A slew of sippers and duffers of all ilk are now in attendance as the 65th American Express PGA Golf Tournament is in full swing in La Quinta, California. And the good news continues: Maestro Dobel Tequila is now the official Tequila for the PGA Tour. We’ll get back to the brand’s fabulous Diamente Tequila (which will be poured at this event) along with info and tasting notes in a bit.
The American Express, which annually tees up the start of the PGA TOUR’s West Coast calendar and is the TOUR’s first 2024 regular season event in the continental United States, will showcase 156 professional golfers and 156 amateurs playing at PGA WEST’s Stadium Course (host course) and Nicklaus Tournament Course and La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, CA.
“Attending The American Express is a sporting tradition of the Coachella Valley, as it is one of the PGA TOUR’s most storied golf tournaments, and it continues to rise in stature through the enhancement of our overall fan experience,” said Pat McCabe, Executive Director of The American Express. “Our field of professional golfers has improved with each passing year, and the 2023 event hosted our best player field in recent memory. Tournament patrons can also take heart in supporting a community event that has raised more than $64 million in local charitable funding.”
Daily grounds tickets – granting general admission to The American Express at PGA WEST and La Quinta CC – begin at $60 for access to Round 1 on Thursday, Jan. 18. Fans can secure grounds tickets to watch the tournament crown its 2024 champion in the final round on Sunday, Jan. 21, for $75.
The American Express™ organization, Impact Through Golf Foundation provides funding to organizations that support health and wellness, education, youth and family support, and homelessness. Since the tournament’s inception in 1960, our event has generated more than $65 Million to support approximately over 100 non-profit organizations in the Coachella Valley area.
For you die-hard golf enthusiasts, you know this stuff already, but for the rest of us, we are learning that many of the top players in the world are in the tournament including three of the top five players in the Official World Golf Rankings and eight of the top 23 in the world. That includes world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 5 Patrick Cantlay and No. 6 Xander Schauffele. Other players in the top 25 in the world rankings in the field include Tom Kim, Jason Day, Tony Finau, Sam Burns and Rickie Fowler.
Other top players in the event include past major champions Justin Thomas and Shane Lowry. Past The American Express champions in the field include Charley Hoffman, Jason Dufner, Adam Long, Andrew Landry, Si Woo Kim and two-time winner Bill Haas.
These days—no matter how big the sporting event, it’s got to be accompanied by top-notch music. Enter now the GRAMMY© Award Winners Keith Urban and Train as they take the Stage for The American Express™ Concert Series, January 19-20 at PGA WEST.
Keith Urban will perform Friday, Jan. 19, after second round of The American Express (PGA TOUR) on the PGA WEST Stadium Course driving range, and Train plays after the third round on Saturday, Jan. 20; All daily ticket options are on sale now atwww.theamexgolf.com
By the way: The professionals are playing for $8.4 million, with the winner taking home $1.512 million!! Duffers Unite!! You have nothing to lose but your fear on the links!
As to you sippers, there are a bunch of wonderful liquid sponsors that are pouring at the Amex event; but no one wants to miss the pours over at the Maestro Dobel Tequila Canopy Lounge, featuring the delicious Diamante!
Maestro Dobel® Diamante® is the original Cristalino. Blended extra añejo, añejo and reposado tequilas are aged in Balkan new white wood barrels, then filtered again to retain an elegant flavor. The Cristalino tequila has a mild oak aroma with a touch of vanilla. It has a citrus and prickly pear flavor with a smooth, crisp, clean finish.
The specifics are: Hand-crafted in Jalisco, Mexico, Dobel is a distinctive blend of three aged tequilas: Reposado (rested 15 months), Anejo (rested 24 months), and Extra-Anejo (rested for 36 months).
Another review comments: Maestro Dobel Tequila has a unique taste profile resulting from blending and aging. It has notes of agave, citrus, and vanilla, with a smooth finish that makes it easy to drink on its own or in a cocktail.
If you want to get creative with your cocktails, Maestra Dobel Tequila Diamante ($55) is a great choice. Its unique flavor profile pairs well with various ingredients, making it a versatile option for mixologists. Pour one shot of straight Diamante Tequila to sip, into an old-fashioned glass with ice and a lemon slice or as a Margarita.
Pin high everyone! See you at the Tourney & on the links! Cheers!
Rick is your friendly neighborhood somm-about-town, quaffing at all of the valley’s sporting and culinary events. He also covers the BNP Paripas Tennis Tournament for CV Weekly and it looks like he’s now doing AMEX! He can be reached at winespectrum@aol.com.
