2019 Sanderson Farms Championship Preview

2019 Sanderson Farms Championship Preview

Dates: September 16-22, 2019
Where: Country Club of Jackson / Jackson, Mississippi
Par/Yards: 72/7,421 yards
Field: 156
2018 champion: Cameron Champ
Purse: $6,600,000/$1,188,000 (winner)
FedExCup: 500 points to the winner
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Twitter: @SandersonPGA

Sanderson Farms Championship Winners and History

Things to know

• For the first time, the Sanderson Farms Championship enjoys standalone date, allocation of full FedExCup points
• The 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship is the second of a record 11 official events contested in the fall portion of the 2019-20 PGA TOUR Season; includes the return of last week’s A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier and the Houston Open after a season hiatus, new events in the ZOZO Championship and the Bermuda Championship
• The 2019-20 PGA TOUR Season marks the 14^th season of the FedExCup and includes the second edition of the Wyndham Rewards Top 10, where the top 10 players in the FedExCup standings at the conclusion of the Regular Season earn a share of $10 million, including $2 million for the Regular Season Champion. In 2018-19, six of the eight fall winners went on to qualify for the TOUR Championship: Marc Leishman (CIMB Classic), Brooks Koepka (THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES), Xander Schauffele (WGC-HSBC Champions), Bryson DeChambeau (Shriners Hospitals for Children Open), Matt Kuchar (Mayakoba Golf Classic) and Charles Howell III (The RSM Classic). Three of those players finished inside the top five of the inaugural Wyndham Rewards Top 10 (Koepka/1, Kuchar/3, Schauffele/4)
• In 2019-20, the TOUR instituted a new cut rule reducing the number of players from low 70/ties to low 65/ties
• Presidents Cup hopefuls have until the week of November 4 to impress Captains Tiger Woods and Ernie Els as four spots remain to complete each Presidents Cup team roster

A look back at the 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship

• After opening with scores of 65-70-64, good for at least a share of the lead after the first three rounds, Cameron Champ birdied five of his last six holes in the final round to post 68
• Champ claimed his first career PGA TOUR win – by four strokes – at 21- under 267.

More on Cameron Champ

• Following his win at the Country Club of Jackson, Champ claimed top-10 finishes in two of his next three starts (Mayakoba Golf Classic/T10, The RSM Classic/6^th)
• Advanced to the first two of three FedExCup Playoffs events, THE NORTHERN TRUST (T21) and BMW Championship (T65)
• Champ finished his rookie season ranked 62^nd in the FedExCup

Field Notes 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship Preview

• Two FedExCup champions; Bill Haas/2011 and Brandt Snedeker/2012
• Eight past Sanderson Farms Championship winners are in this year’s field:
  • Cameron Champ (2018)
  • Ryan Armour (2017)
  • Peter Malnati (2015)
  • Nick Taylor (2014)
  • Scott Stallings (2012)
  • Bill Haas (2010)
    • A year after his win in Mississippi, Haas won the 2011 FedExCup
  • Chad Campbell (2007)
  • D.J. Trahan (2006).
• 19 of the 21 PGA TOUR rookies are scheduled to compete this week
• Five major championship winners combining for six major victories:
  • Zach Johnson (2007 Masters Tournament, 2015 The Open Championship)
  • Lucas Glover (2009 U.S. Open)
  • Jimmy Walker (2016 PGA Championship)
  • Jason Dufner (2013 PGA Championship)
  • Stewart Cink (2009 The Open Championship)

Players of Note 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship Preview

Sungjae Im

• Recently voted the 2018-19 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year by his peers
• Among 26 made cuts in 35 starts on TOUR last season, collected seven top-10 finishes
• Only rookie to advance to the 2019 TOUR Championship, and 13^th to do so in the FedExCup era
• Ended rookie campaign at No. 19 in the FedExCup
• Missed the cut in last year’s Sanderson Farms Championship (72-73—145/+1)

Brandt Snedeker

• 2012 FedExCup champion poised to make his first start in the Sanderson Farms Championship
• Seeks 10^th career PGA TOUR win and first since the 2018 Wyndham Championship, where he opened with an 11- under 59
• Advanced to The TOUR Championship for a seventh time last season, where he ended his season at No. 24 in the FedExCup

Zach Johnson

• Winner of 12 PGA TOUR events, most recently the 2015 The Open Championship
• Making second start in the Sanderson Farms Championship (2005/MC)
• Has advanced to The TOUR Championship in the FedExCup Playoffs on seven of 13 occasions

Lucas Glover

• Winner of three PGA TOUR events, including the 2009 U.S. Open
• Finished inside the top 15 in his two most recent (five total) starts at the Sanderson Farms Championship (2016/T5, 2018/T14)
• Amassed seven top-10 finishes in the 2018-19 PGA TOUR Season, en route to his second start in The TOUR Championship in the FedExCup era

Chez Reavie

• Claimed his second career PGA TOUR win at last season’s Travelers Championship
• In addition to his victory, claimed five top-10 finishes last season, including solo-eighth at The TOUR Championship in the FedExCup
• Making his third start in the Sanderson Farms Championship (2011/T16, 2013/T62)
• First won on TOUR at the 2008 RBC Canadian Open

Charley Hoffman

• Poised to make his fourth start in the Sanderson Farms Championship, with a T22 in 2007 his best showing
• Nearly claimed fifth PGA TOUR title, before finishing second to Corey Conners at last season’s Valero Texas Open
• With his 78^th-place finish in the FedExCup, extended his perfect streak of seasons making it to the FedExCup Playoffs to 13

Bill Haas

• 2011 FedExCup champion
• 2010 Sanderson Farms Championship winner
• In four starts in the event, has finished outside the top-5 just once; 1^st/2010, T3/2007, T4/2008, T14/2018
• Owns six PGA TOUR wins among 57 top-10 finishes

Akshay Bhatia

• 17-year-old California native is poised to make his professional debut at the Sanderson Farms Championship, competing on a sponsor invitation
• Runner-up at the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur
• Only player in history to record back-to-back victories at the Boy’s Junior PGA Championship (2017-18). En route to winning the event in 2017, posted a second-round 61, good for a three-stroke win at 22-under par. That mark supplanted Pat Perez’ previous low total in the event by five strokes
• In only other PGA TOUR-sanctioned event, finished T42 at the 2019 Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour
• In only previous PGA TOUR start, missed the cut at the 2019 Valspar Championship (74-72-146/+4)

2019-20 PGA TOUR Rookies Notes: 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship Preview

• In just 11 starts on last season’s Korn Ferry Tour, Oklahoma State Alum Kris Ventura won twice (Utah Championship, Pinnacle Bank Championship and finished third twice. Made his way to the PGA TOUR by virtue of a 14^th-place finish in the priority ranking. Made one cut in four PGA TOUR starts prior to this season (2019 Valero Texas Open/T36)
• Indiana native Chris Baker amassed seven top-10 finishes on last season’s Korn Ferry Tour, three of which were inside the top five. Only previous PGA TOUR start prior to this season came at The Honda Classic in 2016 (MC)
• Former World No. 1 amateur, Doug Ghim earned his PGA TOUR card following a 47^th-place finish on last season’s Korn Ferry Tour priority list. In one of 13 previous starts on the PGA TOUR, Illinois native finished 71^st at last season’s Sanderson Farms Championship. Best TOUR finish is T12 at the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson.

Tournament Records and Notes

• Twelve players have made the Sanderson Farms Championship their first TOUR win, including each of the last five: Cameron Champ (2018), Ryan Armour (2017), Cody Gribble (2016), Peter Malnati (2015), Nick Taylor (2014), Chris Kirk (2011), D.J. Trahan (2006), Luke Donald (2002), Cameron Beckman (2001), Willie Wood (1996), Ed Dougherty (1995) and Brian Henninger (1994)
• Since its 1986 inception, only two players have won the Sanderson Farms Championship more than once; Brian Henninger (1994, 1999) and Fred Funk (1998, 2004)
• First-round leaders/co-leaders at the Sanderson Farms Championship since 2000 who’ve held on for the win: Cameron Champ (2018), Ryan Armour (2017), Bill Haas (2010), D.J. Trahan (2006), John Huston (2003) and Steve Lowery (2000)
• Since 1990 – when the event was neither cancelled nor condensed in rounds, the 54-hole leader has held on for the win 12 times, including Cameron Champ (2018) and Ryan Armour (2017). The last to achieve the feat before Armour was Scott Stallings in 2012
• After 19 years at Annandale Country Club in Madison, Mississippi, the Sanderson Farms Championship moved to the Country Club of Jackson in 2014. Prior to that, it spent eight years in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Sanderson Farms Championship and charity

• Century Club Charities, host organization for the Sanderson Farms Championship, continues to make a tremendous impact in the Jackson area, especially at the Friends of Children’s Hospital.
• Friends of Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit organization benefitting Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
• Specifically, the funds raised through the Sanderson Farms Championship go to the Children’s Heart Center, a comprehensive pediatric heart surgery program at Batson.
• Before its formation in 2010, patients had to leave the state for surgery.
• Since 1994, the Sanderson Farms Championship has raised more than $13 million for Friends of Children’s Hospital and other area charities.
• Last year alone, more than $1 million was provided to Mississippi charities, with a majority of that going to Friends of Children’s Hospital.

The 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship Preview is via PGA TOUR