After the whitewash that took place at the Presidents Cup last week, the action moves on to a full-field PGA Tour event in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi.
The Country Club of Jackson is hosting the Sanderson Farm Championship. The course first opened in 1914 and has had several renovations since then. John Fought, who redesigned the course in 2008, is responsible for the present layout. He was influenced by Donald Ross, so it is a course that isn’t the most aesthetically challenging, but requires accuracy from close range, particularly around the greens.
The course is a Par 72 with a total length of 7,461 yards. Expect to see plenty of birdies as attacking golf is a must here. A winning score of 20 under par or better could be expected and last year’s winner Sam Burns shot 22 under par when taking home the prize. Three of the last six winners have had to reach 20 under par to get the job done and this is something to definitely consider when building your portfolio.
Driving distance was the key to a high finish last year and it will be of key importance again this year along with putting on Bermuda greens, so keep all of this in mind when selecting your choices.
Event & Course Details
Course: The Country Club of Jackson
Location: Jackson, Mississippi
Date: September 29th – 2nd October.
Par: 72 / Yardage 7,461
Purse: $7.9 Million
Fairways/Rough: Bermudagrass/Zeon zoysia
Greens: Champion Bermudagrass
Champion: Sam Burns
Key Skill Sets Required
Driving Distance – Both long hitters and short hitters can win this event and the course doesn’t punish those who are slightly wayward off the tee too much. Therefore look for players with strong driving distance stats behind them.
Birdies or Better % – Traditionally not the strongest of fields going to post here and you may want players who have a proven track record of making plenty of birdies and who relish these low-scoring shootouts. Previous champions like Champ, Munoz and Burns all are renowned for their birdie-making ability and their aggressive style of golf.
Par 4 Scoring 400-450 yards – Six holes fall within this range and therefore it pays dividends to consider players who can take advantage of the short to medium par 4’s.
GIR – Given the importance of putting this week it makes sense to consider players who are hitting plenty of greens in regulation and therefore giving themselves plenty of outside birdie looks and the chance to roll in plenty of putts.
Putting – When looking at the data it is very clear that putting at The Sanderson Farm is of significant importance. This week it may pay to look for players that show a tendency to putt well on the Bermudagrass greens. In addition, it is also noted that the green speed here is often on the fast side.
Best Outsiders
1. Joseph Bramlett 80/1
- Best placed 18th here on debut, he arrives in good form with a top 15 finish at the Fortinet Championship.
- Super long off the tee, which is a key factor in determining success at this event.
- He gains most strokes vs his average on an easy course like he faces this week.
- A low-scoring test which favours length off the tee is the type of test he may relish and you may want Bramlett onside this week.
2. Kramer Hickok 250/1
- A top 25 to kick start the season 2 weeks back.
- These low-scoring easy tests are where he has performed best historically.
- A volatile putter, whose best stats come on the Bermudagrass greens he will encounter this week.
- Ranked 2nd for proximity to the hole from 75-100 yards over the last 24 rounds, wedge play will be crucial this week.
- A player who can outrun his odds and could be a useful DFS player for those who participate in that format.
3. Chesson Hadley 125/1
- Best place 2nd in 2017.
- Barring last week, he has been in superb form and he is on a course here that should suit his style of play.
- Ranks in the top 20 for Par 4 scoring over the past 24 rounds.
- Ranks in the top 20 for SG Putting over the past 24 rounds on tour.
- Ranks in the top 20 for SG Approach play over the past 24 rounds.
Best Outright Picks
1. Harris English 45/1
The forgotten man, this chap is a serious player who is recovering from an injury-hit 2022 season. Started the 2023 season with a solid top 10 at The Fortinet Championship, shooting his best round on Day 4.
He’s the class act in this field and only 18 months ago would have been in the top 5 in the betting. Putts superbly on the Bermudagrass surfaces he faces this week.
2. Russell Henley 22/1
Two top 10 finishes in his last 4 starts on tour show his game isn’t far away from its best.
Ranked 6th for T2G performance over the past 24 rounds on tour.
Ranked 5th for SG Approach play over the past 24 rounds on tour.
Ranked 4th for Proximity to the hole from 100-125 yards showing his wedge play is dialed in right now.
His weakness without a doubt is his putting however the good news is that he is a significantly better putter on the Bermudagrass greens.
3. Adam Svensson 70/1
Heads into the 2022/23 season with his best year on tour behind him.
He is an aggressive golfer whose best chance of winning comes in these low scoring events.
Ranked 13th in proximity to the hole in the last 24 rounds on tour.
Ranked 12th for Birdies made over the past 24 rounds on tour, a key requirement this week.
Ranked in the top 20 par 4 scoring on holes of 400-450 yards over the past 24 rounds.
4. Sahith Theegala 18/1
Fresh from a break to work on his driving, we may expect a huge performance from him this week. A super driver of the ball who consistently gains strokes Off The Tee, which is an important factor here this week.
Possesses an underrated short game, ranking in the top 20% of the field for SG Scrambling and SG Around the green. Gained strokes putting in 3 of his last 4 events.
5. Seamus Power 45/1
His best season on the tour last year, he will be looking to start the season well by claiming
victory. A superb T2G player, the bedrock of his game. He puts well on the Bermudagrass surfaces he faces this week.
Top picks this week
1. Adam Svensson 70/1
Heads into the 2022/23 season with his best year on tour behind him.
He is an aggressive golfer whose best chance of winning comes in these low scoring events.
Ranked 13th in proximity to the hole in the last 24 rounds on tour.
Ranked 12th for Birdies made over the past 24 rounds on tour, a key requirement this week.
Ranked in the top 20 par 4 scoring on holes of 400-450 yards over the past 24 rounds.
2. Harris English 45/1
Supporting stats as above
