The PGA Tour returns following a terrific Presidents Cup with a enjoyable Sanderson Farms Championship to kick-start the remainder of the final fall as we all know it for the foreseeable future. The match in Jackson, Mississippi, has change into a enjoyable fall staple — the kind of throwback PGA Tour occasion that does not actually outline the Tour anymore however supplies an important launching pad for younger expertise and a pleasant touchdown spot for outdated stalwarts.
Sam Burns, recent off his first Team USA occasion, rolled in because the defending champion and he performed properly on the primary day on the Country Club of Jackson. However, he nonetheless trails the leaders — and there are lots of them — after 18 holes.
Let’s check out his spherical in addition to who else is within the hunt this week.
The leaders
T1. Davis Riley, Will Gordon (-6)
Riley is anyone who has been talked about as a possible future Presidents Cup and even Ryder Cup participant, and maybe that is the start of that march towards Rome subsequent 12 months. That sounds ridiculous given the depth the U.S. has, however Riley is a terrific expertise, and we regularly see 3-5 gamers drop off 12 months over 12 months on these U.S. groups.Â
“I feel like I played really solid,” Riley stated. “I feel like it was hard to get really, really close to a lot of pins just because the greens were rolling out, the wind up there. It’s hard to have a ton of opportunities, but yeah, I felt like I had a really solid day. The way I was playing, I feel like if I just kept going on, I would be pretty close to up there. To keep it stress-free was really nice.”
One factor to regulate is that although Riley hit it nicely, he additionally rode a very scorching putter in Round 1 (fifth within the discipline) to that 6-under rating. He has the tee-to-green chops to again it up, nevertheless it’s price contemplating as we roll into the following three rounds.
Other contenders
T3. Andrew Putnam, Brandon Matthews, Kevin Yu, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Mark Hubbard, Thomas Detry, Trevor Cone (-5)
T10. Nick Taylor, Kevin Roy, Russell Knox, S.H. Kim (-4)
Keep a watch on Matthews. He obtained married on Saturday and joked that his spouse at all times dreamed of honeymooning in Jackson. He’s one of many longest good gamers on the earth off the tee, and he gained practically three strokes from tee to inexperienced Thursday. Matthews profitable this week can be an important really feel good story.
“I consider myself one of the luckiest guys in the world to be able to do this for a living because I love it so much,” Matthews stated. “To have fun over the next three days, not put a ton of pressure on myself and just go out and enjoy it.”
Burns returns
A 3-time winner a 12 months in the past, Burns is well the category of this discipline, and he performed nicely sufficient with a 2-under 70 on Thursday to remain within the prime three of the betting odds (see under). The good news for Burns every week after he hit a bevy of lengthy putts to assist the U.S. to its win at Quail Hollow is that he did not putt nicely in any respect and has lots of room for enchancment (and maybe a second straight win right here) over the following three days.Â
“This tournament means a lot to me, like you said,” Burns stated. “It’s close to home, and I enjoy coming back here. I look forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces this week. I’ve gotten to know a lot of the Sanderson Farms family really well, and it’s been great coming back here. I’m excited for the next few days.”
2022 Sanderson Farms Championship up to date odds and picks
- Davis Riley: 11/2
- Will Gordon: 10-1
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout: 11-1
- Thomas Detry: 12-1
- Sam Burns: 14-1
- Andrew Putnam: 18-1
Riley is compelling as a winner however not essentially at this quantity. Bezuidenhout, alternatively, is an attention-grabbing choose on condition that he is coming off a profitable Presidents Cup and led this discipline from tee to inexperienced Thursday. Burns, too, is a pleasant quantity, given his firepower and the way poorly he putted (one hundred and fifth within the discipline) on Thursday. Those are the 2 guys that I might be on forward of Riley.
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