Blog#178 Sanderson Farm Championship 

Blog#178 Sanderson Farm Championship 

Country Club of Jackson MS October 3-6 3034 Pr 72

Purse $7.6M down $800K 10% from last year

HISTORY

The trophy pictured above is one of the most unusual on the PGA Tour.  It was designed by Marcom DeMill who also designed and produced trophies for the Valspar Championship and John Deere Classic.  The field this year is 132 down from 144 last year.  As with most Fall events there is a lack of top players and the most recognizable are Rickie Fowler, who in 2023 resurrected his career by winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic.  Also Matt Kucher who at 46 plays in just about every one of these secondary tournaments. 

My Prediction to win

Nick Dunlap won the American Express in January of this year as an amateur, then turned pro the following week.  He went on to win the Barracuda in July, has 3 top 10’s, placed 12th at St Jude and 31st at the BMW Championship before missing the tour Championship final.  So far he has made over $5M in his first year and I think he will win another $1.7M this week.  These tournaments are very difficult to pick a winner.  If it is not Dunlap I think it may be Griffin, Rogers, Cole, Vegas, McNealy or maybe Rickie Fowler, which would be nice. 

Ten Favorites 

Keith Mitchell-22/1 Started on PGA in 2018 has only 1 win the Honda in 2019.  Why #1 pick?

Seamus Power 25/1 Best finish this year Heritage #12, should not be rated this high.

Maverick McNealy 25/1 Has 4 top 10’s this year, came close at 3M and finished 3rd.

Mackenzie Hughes 25/1 Won in 2022 but went 1-3 in Presidents Cup as a surprise pick.

Nick Dunlap 25/1 I think he is the best player in the field and pick him to win for the third time.

Ben Griffin 30/1 Had a 3 stroke lead in the final RD and missed a 6’ putt on 18 to win.

Patrick Fishburn 30/1 I know little about him, he is #104 FedX and 110 OGWR, no chance.

Patrick Rogers 33/1 He & Cameron Young have the most potential on the tour, both winless.

JJ Spahn 33/1 I don’t think he has the game to win and probably not a top 10 finisher.

Jhonattan Vegas 33/1 At 40 he won the 3M in July, with this field he could win.

Longshots  

As in most of these secondary tournaments there is a good chance that the winner will be a new young player or a fading veteran like last years winner Luke List.  He made a 45’ putt on the first playoff hole to win $1.5M and move from #119 to #61 in FedX points and guarantee his PGA card for 2024.  

Eric Cole 35/1 A steady player who had 4 the top 10’s in 2024 but no wins.

Ryan Fox 55/1 From New Zealand good DP player this year on PGA no wins. 

Matt Kucher 60/1 He led after RD 2 at Wyndham this year but faded on the final RD.

Lucas Glover 80/1 Good pick if he can find the game of last years wins at Wyndham & St Jude.

Rickie Fowler 80/1 When was the last time he has been ranked so low with such a weak field.

Luke List 100/1 Last years winner ranked 50th in the field of 132.  

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Oct 3-6 2024 Purse $5M same as last year Par 72 all 3. 

The field will be 168 professional joined by 168 celebrities who will all play all 3 courses.

There will be a cut after Saturday’s RD and the remaining players will play at St. Andrews for individual and team champions.  The other 2 courses are Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

Favorites J Rahm 6/1, R McIlroy 6/1, T Hatton 10/1, T Fleetwood 121/1, B Koepka, 20/1

R MacIntyre 22/1, A Noran 22/1, B Horschel 25/1, R Hojgaard 28/1, T Lawrence 30/1.

Ryan Fox who is in the Sanderson Farms field this year won last year shooting 68 on final RD.

Golf Digest reports that Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Jay Monahan & Rory McIlroy will play in the pro-am portion of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.  They will also play together in the 1st RD at Carnoustie.   While it may not be too important, it may be a sigh of progress for an agreement.