PGA Golf Tips at $51: Sanderson Farms Championship preview

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Sanderson Farms Championship: The Tournament

The first time this event was played was in 1968, as a makeweight in the schedule the same week as the US Masters at Augusta (early April). And it filled this role until 1993 when, as the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, it became a fully fledged PGA event, this time played alongside the Open Championship. Three more name changes later (Southern Farms, Viking and True South Classic), and several more placements on the schedule, the Sanderson Farms now finds itself towards the end of the year… but at the start of a new season! So we might not see a host of household names this week, but we will find a mixed bag of emerging talent, seasoned pros and would-be winners… also one of the best sporting trophies around (a stuffed chicken, well rooster to be exact, on a plinth).

Prizemoney $7.9m ($1.26m to the winner)

Field: 156

Highest ranked players Burns (12), Straka (36), Power (40), English (45), Bradley (48), Theegala (52).

2021 result
-22 Sam Burns (18/1)
-21 Nick Watney (350/1)
-21 Cameron Young (350/1)
-20 Hayden Buckley (200/1)
-20 Andrew Landry (350/1)
-20 Trey Mullinax (275/1)
-20 Henrik Norlander (150/1)

Other recent winners Sergio Garcia (2020), Sebastian Munoz (2019), Cameron Champ (2018), Ryan Armour (2017), Cory Gribble (2016).

This week’s it’s the Jackson Country Club in Mississippi. It’s a 7,421 yard course, laid out as a par 72. The club itself is over 100 years old but this course design dates back to 1962 when Dick Wilson planned 27 holes on land newly acquired by the club. The layout was updated in 2008 by John Fought to bring it in line with modern day standards. The general consenus is that while power-play can prosper at Jackson, there is more than a chance for shorter, more accurate players to compete.

72-Hole Record 264, Scott Stallings (2012)

18-Hole Record 62, Roberto Castro (2015)

The Weather

It looks like being a dry week with a daily precipitation forecast of 10%-10%-10%-10% over the course of the tournament. Temperatures will hit the low 70s, with cloud cover over the weekend. The wind will be of little consequence, reaching a maximum of 10-12mph during the event.

Sanderson Farms Championship: The Bets

These are two each-way outright bets from the Golf Insider. Members receive all of his best bets for all markets. They get win and each-way, Top 10, Top 20, Round 1 Leader and 3-Ball groups. He covers every tournament on the PGA and European Tours.

Harris English $51 with TopSport

Falling where it does on the calendar, this tournament can be a difficult one to unravel. And although 12 months ago Sam Burns was the rare example of a tournament-winning favourite, he was chased home by players at all sorts of prices. Throw in the past success of both big-hitters and steady-eddys, and this event remains a tough one to unravel. English does at least come here with current form (9th last time out in the Fortinet Championship), and was 6th here on his last visit in 2018. This 4-time PGA Tour winner also knows how to win (most recently twice in 2021), and will welcome this week’s drop in grade. At 40/1+ English is a worthy bet this week in Mississippi.

$51

Christiaan Bezuidenhout $51 with TopSport

I readily admit the South African could be anything this week. But for me, in terms of sheer abilty, and winning potential (now and in the future) this guy is right up there with the best in the field. Newly re-located on the PGA Tour, Bezuidenhout last played a strokeplay event at the BMW Championship, finishing an impressive 12th, and just last week turned out for the Internationals in the Presidents Cup. He only played two matches at Quail Hollow, but a tie/win showed his current form is good, and a proven winner in both his homeland and in Europe, Bezuidenhout could be the joker in the pack this week. Ranging from 50/1 to 28/1 the layers are clearly struggling to accurately assess his chances – but no question he’s a value bet for me.

$51