Spectators returning this year to The American Express golf tournament, after being turned away last year due to COVID, has got to be the most exciting news about the more than half-century old event.

Tickets went on sale in November for the Coachella Valley's PGA Tour golf event, set for the weekend of Jan. 19-23 at the PGA WEST and La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta.

"Certainly, welcoming back the great fans, our great sponsors, participating in the Pro Am, it's very exciting," The American Express Executive Director Pat McCabe told Desert Magazine. "We're looking forward to that, of course looking forward to bringing back the concert series that has been such a big hit for us."

This year's concert series will feature LA-based pop rock band Maroon 5 after the second round on Friday, Jan. 21, and country superstar Brad Paisley after the third round on Saturday, Jan. 22, both right on the driving range at PGA West. Maroon 5, known for albums that include "Red Pill Blues" and singles "Sugar" and "Girls Like You," released its seventh album, "Jordi," last summer and has sold more than 135 million records. Paisley's breakout album, "Who Needs Pictures," debuted in 1999 and all of his albums have been certified Gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The Maroon 5 and Paisley performances were announced in November, along with ticket options that include the performances. All tickets include access to the concerts but one of the more popular packages is bound to be the upgraded "Champions Club" ticket on concert days. That package includes the PGA TOUR golf action, a hosted breakfast, lunch, snack and full bar in the Champions Club, preferred parking and exclusive concert viewing access near the concern stage, all for $350 each day.

"Our concert series should be quite the performance," McCabe said in the tournament's November news release. "We believe we are meeting the musical interests of our fans in providing premium, topical musical entertainment for all to enjoy."

Founded in 1960 and played throughout its history in Riverside County, The American Express previously was called the Desert Classic. Under that name, the tournament was well known for its celebrity Pro-Am round that included entrants such as President Dwight Eisenhower, Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas and Samuel L. Jackson.

The current tournament does not include a celebrity round but The American Express is an important stop – the first every year – on the PGA Tour.

While the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected last year's tournament, this year things are getting back to normal.

"We did not have our standard three-day Pro-Am format," McCabe said. "However, we still were able to have a professional competition that broadcast on Golf Channel around the world and featured some of the best PGA Tour players in the world. We were fortunate to have an event last year but we're very excited for the future here, in 2022, to bring back the Pro Am, to bring back spectators and to bring back our concert series as well."

Despite the difficulties of last year, the tournament's goal to raise money for local charities was a success.

"I want to thank American Express, our fantastic title sponsor partner," McCabe said. "We were fortunate to announce that at one point $1 million was generated during last year's event, despite the fact that we were at the height of the pandemic. They're a great partner."

Also key to the tournament's success is the host, the Phil & Amy Mickelson Foundation.

“The Mickelson Foundation was created for the purpose of running The American Express tournament — historically known as the Desert Classic — and using the proceeds from the event to provide support to charities in the Coachella Valley area,” Frank Marzano, chairman of The Phil & Amy Mickelson Foundation, told Desert Magazine in a previous interview. “This tournament is really the focal point of the foundation’s work. It’s very important to Phil and Amy (Mickelson) that the charitable giving that comes out of the tournament benefits organizations in the local community, and the foundation’s board members share in that mission.”

Groups that have benefited from the tournament's proceeds include the Eisenhower Medical Center Foundation, The Alzheimer’s Association of Coachella Valley, Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley Boxing Club, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Desert Arc, Family YMCA of the Desert, First Tee of Coachella Valley, Martha’s Village & Kitchen, Ophelia Project/JFK Memorial Foundation, Pegasus Riding Academy, Read With Me Volunteer Programs, The Well in the Desert, Volunteers in Medicine and Desert Classic Charities.

In November, the tournament announced that a $10,000 donation to the Hunter Lopez Memorial Scholarship Fund was one of the recipients of The American Express' $1.1 million in charity donations. The scholarship is named for Hunter Lopez, one of the 13 Marines killed in an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August.

"The support means a lot to us," said Capt. Herman Lopez in the news release. "Day one, when we heard the news on Aug. 26, the support not only of family and friends but the community, the sheriff’s department, the military, especially the Marines, has been great."

Proceeds from this year's tournament also will benefit local charity, in addition to drawing some of the world's best PGA players. Phil Mickelson, 44-time PGA TOUR winner and World Golf Hall of Famer, will be back this year and competing in an impressive field of PGA players expected to include Murrieta native and popular PGA TOUR fan favorite Rickie Fowler.

Also coming back to defend his 2021 title is Si Woo Kim, last year's winner of The American Express tournament after his back-to-back birdies gave him the lead over then course record-holder Patrick Cantlay to take the 62nd American Express title by 1 stroke.

Returning spectators also will be welcomed back to the venues they knew before COVID.

"We've got such great fan-friendly venues," McCabe said. "We have, certainly, our hospitality suites and our VIP sections."

A regular general admission golf ticket gives a tournament fan access to great fan venues that include Casamigos Club 18, Michelob Ultra Beers Fore Birdies and other "great fan-friendly areas where you can sit and eat, drink and watch great golf in the beautiful sunshine in January."

Information on tickets, hospitality and up-to-date health and safety are available at the tournament website, www.theamexgolf.com.