Charley Hoffman, Rico Hoey charge into the lead midway through The American Express

 

[January 18, 2025]  By GREG BEACHAM

LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — Charley Hoffman knows his time on the PGA Tour is running short. He can feel every one of his 48 years whenever his troublesome back acts up, and he knows the recent reduction in tour cards will end most players’ careers well before they reach his age.

Hoffman isn’t done swinging just yet, however.

Back home in Southern California, he battled his way into a share of the lead Friday at The American Express, a tournament he won 18 years ago — and he’s determined to keep fighting until his time runs out.

“When I’m healthy, the weather’s warm, I feel like I can beat anybody in the world,” Hoffman said with a smile. “When it’s cold and my back’s not feeling good, I don’t think I can beat anybody in the world.”

Hoffman and Rico Hoey both shot 9-under 63 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course to share the lead after two rounds in the Coachella Valley desert.

Hoffman and Hoey were at 16-under 128 midway through this three-course tournament, although both Southern California natives have yet to play PGA West's tougher Pete Day Stadium Course. They were a shot ahead of Justin Lower, Mark Hubbard and Sepp Straka. Jason Day and J.J. Spaun were 14 under.

Hoffman is seeking his fifth victory while playing in the 517th event of his tour career. The San Diego native played his first PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines as a 17-year-old amateur, but didn’t secure his tour card until 2006, several years after graduating from UNLV.

Hoffman won his first PGA Tour title at this event back in 2007, holding held off John Rollins in a playoff on a windy weekend with sub-freezing temperatures. It was a celebrity pro-am known as the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic back then, a West Coast landmark frequently played by Hollywood stars and U.S. presidents.

Hoffman hasn’t won since 2016, but he is feeling good after years of back trouble, most notably two fragmented disks three years ago. He charged back into contention Friday with an eventful second round featuring two bogeys and two eagles, and he is grateful to be healthy enough to play with the aggression necessary to contend with the younger long-hitters in this event.

“I’ve got a great chiropractor at home, I’ve got a good golf coach (and a) good team I built,” Hoffman said. “Don’t push it too hard on the practice anymore. Don’t play too many events in a row. I probably spend more time in the gym staying healthy and recovering than I do work at golf any longer, because ... this old dog’s probably not going to learn any new shots, but if I’m healthy, I can still hit the good ones.”

Ryo Hisatsune putts on the 18th green at the Nicklaus Tournament Course during the first round of the American Express golf tournament in La Quinta, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Hoffman knows he could have already taken a step back and spent less time away from with his wife and two daughters — an absence he calls the toughest part of his job. The whole family is together in Palm Springs this week, with everybody else participating in equestrian events in nearby Thermal, California.

“So they’re spending money and I’m trying to make money,” he said with a grin.

But Hoffman isn't ready to be a full-time horse dad, or to look forward to the PGA Tour Champions in less than two years. He is determined to make the most of his remaining time in the big spotlight.

“The competition is fun,” Hoffman said. “I like walking down the fairways and guys are like, ‘How old are you?’ (I say) ‘I’m 48,’ and they sort of give you a look, like, what, you’re 48 out here still playing? And in this day and age when we’re going to 100 players now, guys playing at 48 on the PGA Tour is a thing of the past. I don’t think you’re going to see that much longer on the PGA Tour. But I’m going to try to battle out here as long as I can.”

Rickie Fowler charged into contention with 10 birdies and a second-round 62 on the Nicklaus, moving him even with Justin Thomas and Sony Open champion Nick Taylor at 13-under 131. Patrick Cantlay, Will Zalatoris and Doug Ghim were 12 under.

First-round leader J.T. Poston plummeted down the leaderboard with a 4-over 76 on the Stadium Course.

Hoey, who grew up 80 miles away in Rancho Cucamonga and starred at the University of Southern California, is chasing his first victory in his second full year on the PGA Tour. He has been playing courses around Palm Springs since he was 5 years old, and the Nicklaus is one of his favorites.

“I played a lot of junior events out here, so just feels like I’m home,” Hoey said. “It’s great. Weather is awesome, so we don’t really have too many tough conditions with the wind and whatnot. Made it a lot easier to score. ... I’m still kind of starstruck with a lot of those guys, Hoffman, Cantlay, Rickie and whatnot. For me, it’s really cool just to put my name out there and just keep up with them, so that’s all I’m trying to do."

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