The PGA Tour moves back to America this week after its jaunt to the Dominican Republic and we head to Jackson, Mississippi for the Sanderson Farms Championship, the latest event in the wrap-around season.
This is a tournament that has realised the dreams of so many as the last six winners all won on the PGA Tour for the first time. Sebastian Munoz was that player last year and he’ll be back this week looking to successfully defend his title.
Recent Winners
2019 – Sebastian Munoz
2018 – Cameron Champ
2017 – Ryan Armour
2016 – Cody Gribble
2015 – Peter Malnati
2014 – Nick Taylor
2013 – Woody Austin
2012 – Scott Stallings
2011 – Chris Kirk
2010 – Bill Haas
The Course
The Country Club of Jackson stages this tournament again. It has been lengthened slightly so it is a par 72 which measures 7,461 yards. When you look at the statistics of the recent winners there is a bit of a picture forming. They are all pretty solid drivers of the golf ball who can all hole putts or putted very well the week they won. Given scoring is likely to be very low this week we should have putting in mind when forming our bets.
That is very much one of my focuses this week. Length isn’t the overriding thing around here although there is no denying that it helps, but I do like authoritative ball strikers as those with club head speed tend to take these classic type setups to the cleaners these days. Greens in regulation is another statistic to look at as this tournament is all about making birdies so the more chances you get the better the likelihood is that you’ll make some.
The Field
This isn’t the best field the PGA Tour is ever going to see but given the amount of top level tournaments there have been in America in the last couple of months it is understandable that the bigger names are taking a few weeks off while others are over in Europe chasing the riches that are on offer there. That leaves the rookie of the year from last season, Scottie Scheffler and the man who won The Honda Classic as the headline acts this week.
Sebastian Munox is here to defend his title and he’ll need to outdo a few veterans if he is going to do that. Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia both have tee times and will be looking to discover their best form again this week. Brandt Snedeker is another one in that category while of the newer brigade the likes of Sam Burns, Will Zalatoris, Patrick Rodgers and Luke List will all be looking for first victories at this level over the course of the four days.
Market Leaders
The last we heard of Scottie Scheffler he was pulling out of the US Open because he had contracted Covid-19 and now he is rocking up as a 10/1 favourite to win this week which feels a little short on a man who despite having a great season last term still hasn’t won at this level. There is no doubt his skillset fits this test nicely but we don’t know how much he was able to practice while he was isolating and it might be that he needs a week back to get the touch and feel back and things. He isn’t for me here.
Sungjae Im hasn’t had the best of times since lockdown ended but he is 12/1 to go one better than he managed here last year when he was edged out by Munoz in a play-off. Since then he has shifted his maiden tag when he won at The Honda Classic and he spent much of last autumn contending heavily in a number of tournaments. His recent form is a concern although he did look much better at the US Open recently. His putting was the problem there and that is not an issue you want a player to have this week.
Will Zalatoris has been in amazing form since lockdown whether that has been on the Korn Ferry Tour, the US Open or the PGA Tour and he is a 20/1 shot to win this week. He was fancied strongly in the market last week but never really threatened to win the tournament and I think his price has now been brought under control by the bookmakers. I think this tournament is stronger than last week so in theory it should be harder to win so he isn’t for me here.
Sam Burns is the only other player in the field who is shorter than 30/1 to win the tournament. He has been in contention a couple of times this season and as quickly as he has arrived on the scene he has flown down the leaderboard again and in a low scoring tournament where having your foot on the gas and keeping it there is the overriding order of the day that has to be an issue. He has been filed in the ‘needs to win before I back him’ drawer for a while now and that remains the case so he isn’t for me here.
Main Bets
I’ll take a couple of players as main bets this week with the first of those being Doc Redman who should go very well with the prowess of his long game and a putting ability that has got a lot stronger over the season or two that he has been on the PGA Tour. He is one of the best from tee to green in terms of keeping the ball in play and there is a suggestion that these greens are going to be firmer than usual so playing from the short grass is the way to go. Redman ticks the form box with a couple of T3 finishes since the USPGA Championship which is good going. If his putter is hot then his long game will have him right there this week.
Luke List went pretty well last week until he was one of a few who levelled out in the final round but this track might be even more to his liking because there is a reward for getting the ball out there off the tee which he does. List has winning form to his name in the not so distant past having won on the Korn Ferry Tour coming out of lockdown so his new found form is not a fluke or anything like that. List has previously been a runner up in this tournament so we know this course suits him and given the way he is hitting the ball he seems a big price here.
Outsiders
I’ll go with a couple of outsiders who I hope will putt the ears off the course. The first of those is Cameron Percy who is safely inside the top 20 on nearly every putting statistic known to man this season. That makes his form figures of 25-Wd-23-8 no fluke and I think he can go very well here at a three figure price. He hasn’t won on the PGA Tour yet but he looks to have the game that can round into doing so when the stars align for him. As one of the best putters around at the minute I’ll pay to see if that is this week.
Patton Kizzire doesn’t have a whole lot of recent form to speak about but then again he isn’t one of those players who strings form together before he wins anyway. He tends to go in out of the blue but often when he has a good week it is somewhere he has performed well at in the past. This is one of those places as he has a couple of top 10 finishes around this track and given that he is an excellent putter that is no surprise. We’re taking a chance on this place and the memories he has here bringing out his best stuff but if it does he’s a massive price with how well he putts.
Tips
Back D.Redman to win Sanderson Farms Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with William Hill (1/5 1-8)
Back L.List to win Sanderson Farms Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 46.00 with William Hill (1/5 1-8)
Back them here:
Back C.Percy to win Sanderson Farms Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 111.00 with Betfred (1/5 1-7)
Back P.Kizzire to win Sanderson Farms Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 176.00 with Betfred (1/5 1-7)
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