PGA Tour Predictions and Odds: Sanderson Farms Championship
The PGA Tour makes its only stop of the new season in Mississippi this week for the Sanderson Farms Championship, which should have one of its best fields in years (relatively speaking).
Sanderson Farms Championship Course
The PGA Tour made a few changes to the 2019-20 wraparound schedule, and no question one of the big winners of those changes was the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. For many years, this event was held either opposite a major championship or was classified as an opposite-field or alternate-event tournament. That essentially means none of the world’s best players would play here. And opposite-field events have much smaller purses and fewer “perks” like FedEx Cup points.
Since 2014, the Sanderson Farms Championship was opposite the big-money World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China, but that’s now at the end of October. Mississippi’s largest professional event now stands on its own and has the usual rewards for the winner. For example, 500 FedEx Cup points and a spot in the Masters. The purse jumped from $4.4 million (US) to $6.6 million.
The Sanderson Farms Championship dates to 1968 but has been an official Tour event since 1994. It has had a few different names over the years. The event moved to the Country Club of Jackson in 2014. The course plays to a par 72 at 7,421 yards. A total of 12 players have won their first PGA Tour event at the Sanderson Farms Championship, including 2018 winner Cameron Champ (fitting name). He shot a final-round 68 to finish at 21-under 267, the lowest score in the event’s history at the Country Club of Jackson. It was only Champ’s second start as a full Tour member.
Sanderson Farms Championship Favourites
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann is the +1200 Sports Interaction favourite off his victory Sunday in the season-opening A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. The 20-year-old shot a final-round 64 to win by six and become the first player from Chile to ever win on the PGA Tour. Niemann hasn’t played this tournament (a lot of guys haven’t).
Recently named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Sungjae Im is +1400 with Brandt Snedeker at +1800. Then there’s a dropoff to +2500 with Byeong Hun An, Scottie Scheffler and Lucas Glover. Im missed the cut here last year. Champ is +5000 to repeat, which no player has done in this event.
Canadian Golfer PGA Odds
Three Canadians have won this tournament. Dan Halldorson did in 1986 before it was an official Tour event. Ditto Richard Zokol in 1992. Nick Taylor won in November 2014, finishing at 16-under 272 and two strokes up on the field. Corey Conners was runner-up last year by four; he was tied with Champ as late as the 13th hole on Sunday.
Conners is +2800 this week. He was 65th the only other time he played this tournament. Taylor is +5500 to win here a second time. He was 26th last year. Michael Gligic is +60000.
Sanderson Farms Championship Predictions
Take Conners for a Top 10 but the winner at +7000 is Roberto Castro. He has been Top 5 his past two trips.