On the heels of a thrilling Presidents Cup, the PGA Tour returns to its regularly scheduled programming this week at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship. Representing the second event of the FedEx Cup Fall, the Sanderson Farms Championship welcomes an eclectic field filled with Korn Ferry Tour graduates, veterans and players aiming to solidify their 2025 schedules by playing into the FedEx Cup Next 10 -- Nos. 51-60 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Leading the way is the only man in the field who teed it up at Royal Montreal Golf Club last week: Mackenzie Hughes. Putting together a solid start at the Procore Championship, the Canadian continued his good play in front of his home country and will look for more of the same at the site where he claimed his last victory in 2022.
Hughes is not the only player in the field who's inside the cut-off point at this stage of the FedEx Cup Fall; Maverick McNealy, Seamus Power and Harris English find themselves inside the top 60 while Ben Griffin, Taylor Moore and Peter Malnati are on the outside looking in. Also in the same predicament of needing to find some form -- and fast -- is a big name: Rickie Fowler.
A surprise addition to this field, Fowler sticks a peg in the ground for the first time since The Open after taking time away to welcome a new child into the world. He will hope the time off did him some good; the last time we saw the popular right-hander, he was struggling, and that may be putting it lightly.
After a resurgent 2023 that saw Fowler contend in major championships, win the Rocket Mortgage Classic and play on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Fowler regressed mightily back to his 2021-22 levels. Capturing just two top-20 finishes, the 35-year-old put together the worst statistical season of his career and dipped to No. 110 in the FedEx Cup and No. 70 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
2024 Sanderson Farms Championship schedule
Dates: Oct 3-6
Location: The Country Club of Jackson — Jackson, Mississippi
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,461
Purse: $7,600,000
2024 Sanderson Farms Championship field, odds
- Keith Mitchell (20-1): The powerful right-hander enjoyed the best season of his career in 2024 from a statistical sense, but the finishes were still lacking. Mitchell's ball-striking numbers took a massive leap, but his putter posed as a massive liability for much of the year. The good news is that club may have turned the corner in recent starts as back-to-back 12th-place finishes at the Wyndham Championship and Procore Championship saw Mitchell gain strokes on the greens. He'll need more of the same if he is to make his first cut at CC of Jackson having been a weekend omission in four prior trips.
- Seamus Power (25-1)
- Maverick McNealy (25-1): McNealy's early exit at the Procore Championship came as a bit of a shock given his form and affinity for California golf. He'll look to bounce back at a place he hasn't been since 2020 when he captured a top-20 result thanks in large part to his putter. But the putter will need some assistance from his iron play if he is to capture the first PGA Tour victory of his career.
- Nick Dunlap (25-1)
- Mackenzie Hughes (25-1): Hughes put his distance gains on display two years ago en route to a playoff victory over Sepp Straka. While he was unable to defend, he finds himself in great position this season to enter the winner's circle in Jackson. Making seven straight cuts, Hughes' typically reliable putter has been met with some solid approach numbers. If he hit the ball like he did at the Presidents Cup, he will have find himself in the mix on Sunday.
- Ben Griffin (30-1): Griffin was on the inside track to victory a season ago, but a bogey on the 72nd hole dropped him into a five-man playoff where he was ultimately unable to prevail. Still searching for his first victory one year later, Griffin should give it a realistic go once again given his improvement with his iron play and affinity for Bermuda grass golf courses. In two tries, he has finishes of T24 and T2.
- Patrick Rodgers (33-1)
- Jhonattan Vegas (33-1)
- J.J. Spaun (33-1)
- Patrick Fishburn (33-1): Hardly a household name, Fishburn has been playing like one for the last few months. Jumpstarted by a quality outing at the Zurich Classic alongside Zac Blair, the 32-year-old finished his season with six top-25 finishes in his last 10 starts. The momentum has carried into the fall as he grabbed a podium position at the Procore Championship. A player who is plenty long off the tee and lethal with the putter in hand, Fishburn should continue his run of form in Jackson.
- Eric Cole (35-1)
2024 Sanderson Farms Championship expert picks
| Winner (25-1): Dunlap's position in the signature events for 2025 is secure after qualifying for the BMW Championship, but he tees it up anyway this week. The Alabama product's upside is undeniable; he already has two victories in just 22 PGA Tour starts. A third could be on the way at CC of Jackson as he is more than familiar with golf in this part of the country and is striking the ball as well as ever in his very young career. | |
| Contender (60-1): Moore's 2024 has been riddled with inconsistencies, but the one constant has been his play at golf courses where he has shown form in the past. CC of Jackson certainly fits that bill as he has made the cut in all three trips with the last two result in top-25 finishes. His putter has been cooperative as of late, but it will be his wedges which will tell the tale of his tournament. | |
| Sleeper (66-1): Fox knocked off the rust over on the DP World Tour this past month with a missed cut at the Irish Open and forgettable finish in his defense at the BMW PGA Championship. Despite the lackluster play, the New Zealander should thrive in Mississippi given his blend of power off the tee and prowess on the greens. His iron play has been trending in the right direction since July and could be exactly what puts him over the top for his first PGA Tour win. | |
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