BlogSanderson Farms Championship Preview and Picks

The Buzz:

What can be said about America losing again on foreign soil? Guess I must wait until my daughter is 33 years old before America wins away from home in Ireland in 2027.

Sure, I can reel off stats on why Team USA can’t win, but I can summarize what needs to be done in just three words: Play Better Golf.

One thing that I did notice is being brought up. I thought Team USA would do well because they hadn’t played in a while, but it seems the five weeks since the Tour Championship was too much. Jordan Spieth feels that if the Ryder Cup could come two weeks after the Tour Championship, that is a reasonable time frame. I should have taken the fact that the 12 European players were in the BMW PGA Championship more seriously. All 12 made the cut, with seven of the 12 finishing in the top ten. That should have been the warning cry that Europe was ready to play.

Some good things came out of the defeat. Max Homa stepped up and showed he can be a great player. He came through in clutch moments and recorded a 3-1-1 record. That, along with his 4-0-0 Presidents Cup record, means he will be in great demand for next year’s President Cup and when the Ryder Cup returns to Bethpage in 2025. Brian Harman was also a bright spot, picking up two points partnered with Max Homa. But he left on Sunday with a bad taste after losing to Tyrrell Hatton 3 & 2.  Two others left with a bad taste in their mouths; Rickie Fowler only played twice and lost both matches. Now, speculation was he had the flu or some congestion problems, so he would get a pass. But Jordan Spieth will not get a pass. He played terribly. He had no idea where a ball would go with his driver, and not for the excellent play of his partner Justin Thomas, it was the only reason he wasn’t worse than 0-2-2.

Another player leaving Italy with a sore taste is Scottie Scheffler, who was beaten up by Jon Rahm and left with a 0-2-2- record. Xander Schauffele also leaves with some bad memories. He may have beaten Nicolai Hojgaard in Singles 3 & 2, but was on the losing side in three matches with Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, and then again with Cantlay.  Now, talking about Cantlay, he did have some clutch moments in beating Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick in the Saturday Fourball and beating an adamant Justin Rose 2 & 1 in the singles. Cantlay will also take home the memory of having his grandfather, who could attend the Ryder Cup this week, and watch his grandson play.

https://twitter.com/RyderCupUSA/status/1707364532715127255?s=20

Be sure to listen to Pat as he follows his grandson.

But what was significant for Patrick was that on Monday (yesterday), he married Nikki Guidish. I can’t think of a more romantic spot to get married than in Italy.

Was it a great week of golf? I can go in any direction on that. Yes, the Ryder Cup holds a lot of drama, but we haven’t seen a great Ryder Cup since 2012. I am hoping for something better in 2025.

The player to step up the most was Rory McIlroy. The last time we saw him in the Ryder Cup at Whistling Strait, he cried after losing in the singles to Xander Schauffele.  But in Rome, Rory was at the top of his game, giving team Europe four points in five matches. He played in the Foursomes with Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, but he enjoyed his singles match against Sam Burns, beating him 3 & 1. In the Saturday Fourball, which he lost to Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark, the issue with American caddie Joe LaCava helped Rory to find some extra gas in beating Sam Burns 3 & 1. Afterward, he talked about how much he looks forward to the next Ryder Cup at Bethpage in 2025 and said he felt that Team Europe could win again.

Jon Rahm had a great Ryder Cup, winning two matches and halved two matches. In three of his four matches, he played against Scottie Scheffler, and even though he won once and tied the other two, Rahm will be remembered for his clutch play. He opened the Ryder Cup with partner Tyrrell Hatton and beat Scheffler and Sam Burns 4 & 3 to get the first point on Friday. In the Friday afternoon Fourball, Rahm chipped in for an eagle at 16 and then made a 33-foot eagle to get a halve in the match. But Rahm put the dagger into Scheffler again in the singles when he two-putted for birdie on the 18th hole to get another half off Scheffler.

One of the keys for Rahm was with a pitching wedge. He holed three times on Friday with a new prototype wedge that he stuck in his bag for the Ryder Cup.

https://twitter.com/RyderCupEurope/status/1707777982968873101?s=20

It was a Callaway JAWS Raw 60-degree. Going into the Ryder Cup, Rahm was 70th in Strokes Gained Around the Green and 57th in Scrambling, so it will be interesting to see if the new wedge becomes a regular in his bag and improves his around-the-green game. Next time we will see Rahm will be in two weeks when he defends his Spanish Open title in Madrid.

Talking about Scottie Scheffler, a lot was made of his new putting coach, Phil Kenyon. Scheffler’s putting in Rome seemed a bit better. He appeared to be more confident. Scottie had a disappointing 0-2-2 record; otherwise, he didn’t do anything spectacular with the putter but didn’t look terrible with it. Scheffler has played a lot of golf in 2023, and it seems he will take some time off. The next place we could see him is in Mexico at the World Wide Technology Championship, going to its new home in Los Cabos in November.

Collin Morikawa is another player who has made some changes to his putting. Like Scheffler, Morikawa is excellent from tee to green but has struggled with the putter. At the beginning of the year, he went to putting guru Stephen Sweeney and has played the whole season with one putter. The good news is Morikawa made small strides. In 2023, he is 114th in Strokes Gained putting, improving from being ranked 131st in 2022 and 178th in 2021. Still, the improvement didn’t lead to any victories, coming close at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and losing a playoff to Rickie Fowler at the Rocket Mortgage. Over the summer, Sweeney felt that the shaft he used with a TaylorMade TP Soto putter was too light, so they asked Mitsubishi Chemical to create a different shaft, which Morikawa got right after the playoffs. Morikawa used the putter at the Ryder Cup but struggled, going 0-3-1, and in two of his matches, he was blown away and lost his singles match 4 & 3 to Viktor Hovland.

Justin Rose, at 43, was the old man of the 24 players. But that didn’t bother him as his experience helped Team European to a point and a halve. In the Friday Fourball with partner Robert MacIntrye, they were two down to Max Homa and Wyndham Clark going into the 17th hole. Rose hit a great chip shot to get the winning par and then made a great birdie at 18 to get a halve. In the Saturday Fourballs, again paired with MacIntrye, he made four birdies as the pair served up a 3 & 2 victory over Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. He was asked numerous times if he was looking forward to possibly being a captain at Bethpage, but Rose answered how much fun he was having as a player and feels he may have some gas left in the tank to be a player the next time the Ryder Cup is played.

Let’s talk about the Sanderson Farms:

Kevin Kisner was a star when he played college golf at Georgia. He helped UGA to the 2005 NCAA Championship and was the first player in Georgia history to be named All-American four times. When he graduated in 2006, he turned pro, and the thought was that the PGA Tour would be his next stop. But that wasn’t in the cards as he struggled at Q-School. So he played on the mini-tours (NGA Hooters Tour and Tarheel Tour) from 2007 to 2009, winning three times. In 2009, through sponsor exemptions, top-25 finishes, and open qualifying, he played in six Korn Ferry Tour events, with his best finish a T-15th at The Athens Regional. At the end of the year, he went to PGA Tour Q-School and missed earning his card by one shot, finishing T-26th. That result qualified him instead for the Korn Ferry Tour. In 2010, he finished 11th on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and finally got to the PGA Tour. But Kisner struggled, finishing the 2011 195th in the FedExCup and then 153rd in 2012. At the qualifying tournament, he again missed getting to the PGA Tour by a shot and spent 2013 on the Korn Ferry Tour. He had a successful 2013, finishing 13th on the money list, and again got to the PGA Tour. This time, the thought was to stay on the PGA Tour. His game improved, and he became comfortable playing on the PGA Tour. Between 2014 and 2022, he only finished outside the top 50 just once, in 2014. He also found success, winning the RSM Classic in 2016 and backing it up by winning at Colonial in 2017. He won again in 2019 and 2021, then played in the Presidents Cup in 2022. At the time, things couldn’t have been better; he was 31st in the World Rankings and playing in this prestigious event for the second time. But in the matches he struggled, in the Friday Fourball session, Kisner and Cameron Young halved their match against Mito Pereira and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. In his Saturday Fourball match with Tony Finau, they got beaten 3 & 2 by Sungjae Im and Sebastian Munoz. The next day wasn’t any better as he lost his singles match to Christiaan Bezuidenhout 2 & 1. All of a sudden, everything went wrong. Kisner was known for being a very straight hitter off the tee and an excellent putter in his years on tour. But he couldn’t hit a fairway in a few months and struggled to make a putt. On top of that, all parts of his game went wrong, and on the West Coast swing in early 2023, he struggled to make cuts. Between the Phoenix Open and the Memorial, he played in 11 events and only cashed two checks, one coming in the cut-free Match Play championship. When he got to the Travelers Championship, an event he was T-5th in 2021 and T-6th in 2022, he found himself at 7 over par through nine holes in the first round. After a triple bogey-par finish, he packed it up and returned home to South Carolina. He put the clubs away and spent time with his wife and kids. After weeks of no play, he contacted two people for advice. The first was Steve Stricker, who also had a mid-life crisis with his game and found a way to cope with it. He also returned with his long-time coach, John Tillery, who helped Kisner improve his game to play on the PGA Tour ten years before. Thanks to Stricker, he realized how traveling was wearing him out, so he realized he had to play less. He has also worked with Tillery to regain his swing thoughts and plans to play in three of the seven fall events. His first one was Fortinet, and he opened with a 69 and made the cut with a 72. He shot 76 in the third round but returned to shoot 68 and finished T-62nd. He is playing at the Sanderson Farms and looking forward to regaining some of the luster he used to have.

Ludvig Aberg has had one of the best early transitions from college golf to the PGA Tour. Aberg was a standout amateur at Texas Tech and, when he graduated, was the #1 amateur. Aberg won the inaugural PGA Tour University rankings, becoming the first player to earn this exemption. He turned professional in June 2023, and his debut was T-25th at the RBC Canadian Open. After playing in seven PGA Tour events, Aberg went to Switzerland, winning the Omega European Masters and getting a place in the Ryder Cup. His pairing with Viktor Hovland was decisive as they went 2-1-0 together, including their 9 & 7 win over Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka. Although Aberg dropped his final two matches of the week, it was an excellent primer for the 23-year-old, who shows he belongs on the PGA Tour. The big surprise was Aberg flying to America and playing in the Sanderson Farms. Many wondered why he would do that since he has full privileges in 2024. But it makes sense. First, he has nine starts for 2023, and if he gets to 15 starts, he will be considered a full-time member and get a chance to be Rookie of the Year. Currently, he is 136th in the FedEx standings, and if he can get into the top 125, he will earn a spot in the Players Championship. If he has an excellent finish, a top-three, he could get into the top 60 and earn a place in the AT&T Pebble Beach and Genesis, both signature events. He is presently 79th in the Official World Ranking, and if he could get into the top 50 at the end of the year, he would earn a spot in the Masters. And if, by chance, Aberg could win one of the eight fall events left, he would get into any tournament he wants to play in during the 2024 season. So that is the reason for not taking some time off.

Here are some tournament and course information:

This event has been played in Mississippi since 1968.  In the beginning, it was an unofficial event, and it became an official event on the PGA Tour in 1986.  In its first year and until 1993, it played opposite to the Masters.  It was called the Deposit Guaranty and was played at Hattisburg C.C. in Hattiesburg, Miss.  Not only did the date change to July and opposite the British Open, in 1994 the event moved to Madison, Miss, and the Annandale Country Club.  It again was moved in the schedule in 1999 when it was opposite the Tour Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Presidents Cup.  In 2011 it switched back to July the same week as the British Open with Sanderson Farms taking over in 2013.  Not only did the date change, but the course was different for the first time in 20 years as it moved to The Country Club of Jackson.

The course wasn’t the whole reason for the change, Unlike Annandale, the country club offers more than 120,000 square feet of roofed infrastructure for hospitality, which means more money will be donated to charity.  The course is also terrific and has gone through a lot of changes.  The biggest change is the fairways have been narrowed, and a second cut has been added with the rough being allowed to grow in.

The course is a John Fought design that features “Golden Age” architectural features with pushed-up greens and closely mown runoff areas. If the course stays dry, the greens will be treacherous and could make things interesting.

The site had an interesting history because it was better known in Mississippi, not for golf but in 1966 it was the site of a famous raid that caused liquor to be legalized in the state.  So the Country Club of Jackson will this week be remembered as the site that changed the last dry state in the United States instead of for the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Here are some of the secrets of what it takes to play well at the Sanderson Farms Championship:

This event is always up for grabs, not many players have any history at Country Club of Jackson so it’s always hard to pick this event.  But we learned a lot the last nine years it’s been played there, first that hitting greens is important. C.C. of Jackson ranked 21st hardest last year in hitting greens while it was the 30th hardest course on the PGA Tour with a 71.15 scoring average.

On the face of it we’re looking at a pretty long golf course, with the par-five fifth hole able to stretch to 612 yards before the difficult-looking sixth at close to 500 (482). Holes 14 and 15 would look to offer up birdie opportunities before a tough closing stretch, in which the finishing hole is a 505-yard, par 4.  Oh, for the record, there is no let-up on the par-4s, only one on the 16th is under 400 yards so maybe a power hitter is the player to look for.  The par 5s played tough last year as they were the 12th hardest par 5s on the PGA Tour with a 4.73 scoring average.

This is also one course that you must hit it long and straight.  Last year it ranked 16th in driving distance but in 2016, it was 1st, and in 2015, it was 10th.  In looking at our nine winners at C.C. of Jackson, the first four champions were mostly short hitters, but the last four winners hit it long, so the course has in a way, changed to a bombers course.  Look for long-hitters to do very well this week.

The average winning score from the last eight years has been a notch below 19 under. So going low will be a premium in Mississippi.

The weather is going to be perfect for the week.  Winds will be low, so look for low scoring like what happened last year.

Let’s take a look at vital stats that are important for those playing at Country Club of Jackson.

This is based on the most vital stats from Country Club of Jackson, data from last year’s Sanderson Farms, and data from all the players in the field with stats from 2023.

Last year was the ninth year that C.C. of Jackson has been the home of the Sanderson Farms. In looking at the stats from the winners of those events going back to 2013, the only striking thing is how every champion does well in Greens hit. Of the ten champions, eight were in the top ten in that stat, and the 2021 & ’22 winners, Sergio Garcia and Sam Burns, led the field in Greens Hit. Another stat that jumps at you is the number of birdies made, which of course, you need to make many to win.

The par 72 track is not very demanding on the PGA Tour. Sure, it played tough at 71.15 last year, making it the 30th hardest course on Tour. But in 2022, the course played to a 69.87 average under perfect conditions, more than two shots under par per round. It ranked 45th out of 50 courses, and only two full-field events played over four days played easier, so going low on the course is especially important if there is perfect weather, like there will be this week.
The other big question is, does the course favor long hitters, is it a bombers’ paradise? It’s not a haven for long-hitters. Yes, long hitters won in 2019, ’20 & ’21. The champions have been long off the tee, but long hitters don’t have that big of an advantage. Finesse around the greens isn’t hard, the course ranked 40th last year and, in 2022, 41st out of 50 courses in scrambling, so that stat is not vital in the scheme of things. So, what is the prototype for winning the Sanderson Farms?

In our four categories, we have picked four needed to win. First, we will use Strokes Gained Tee-the-Green, which looks at the length of drive off the tee, accuracy, and ability to hit greens. Last year, the average drive was 293.5 yards for all drives and ranked 22nd, meaning that 16 other courses on the Tour saw longer driving averages. As for accuracy off the tee, the course was 8th with 51.06% of the drives in the fairway, meaning that you can’t be wild and win at C.C. of Jackson. In the previous year, 2022, the average drive was 294.4 yards for measured drives and ranked 22nd, meaning only 14 other courses on the Tour saw longer driving averages. Looking at last year’s winner, Mackenzie Hughes, he ranked T-26th in driving distance and T-50th in accuracy, so he ranked 1st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green. In 2022, Sam Burns ranked 17th in driving distance and T-8th in accuracy, so he ranked 1st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green. In 2021, winner Sergio Garcia ranked 9th in driving distance and T-14th in accuracy, so he ranked 1st in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green. As for 2020 winner Sebastian Munoz, he ranked 3rd in Driving Distance and T-36th in Accuracy, so he ranked 13th in Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green. So we can see a trend for the last four champions in which driving is vital at Sanderson Farms.
Our 2nd category is Greens in Regulation. This is a type of course where greens are pretty easy to hit in regulation, so C.C. of Jackson was ranked 21st on Tour with 64.54% of the greens hit. The previous year 2022 the course was 37th on Tour with 70.36% of the greens hit. So this shows that a lot of players hit the greens last year. The winner last year, Hughes hit 48 of 72 greens for a 66.67% ranking T-37th, which is poor. The previous year saw Sam Burns hit 63 of 72 greens for 87.50%, ranking 1st. In 2021, Garcia hit 60 of 72 for 83.33%, ranking T-1st. In 2020, winner Munoz hit 57 of 72 for 79.17%, which ranked T-9th.
Our 3rd category is Strokes Gained Putting, which is an integral part of the game. Last year, the putting average at C.C. of Jackson was 1.738 as the course ranked T-37th, meaning that the overall course is easy to putts on. It averaged 28.44 putts per round, ranking it 39th, and in the important inside ten feet, it ranked T-36th. As for last year’s winner Hughes, he took 107 putts, ranked 1st, and in Strokes Gained Putting, was ranked 14th, showing that putting was more critical than ball striking. In 2022, the putting average at C.C. of Jackson was 1.712 as the course ranked 44th. It averaged 28.42 putts per round, ranking it 37th, and in the important inside ten feet, it ranked T-21st. As for 2022 winner Burns, he took 115 putts, which ranked T-52nd, and in Strokes Gained Putting, he was ranked 57th, showing that ball striking was more important than putting. In 2021, Garcia took 115 putts, ranking T-42nd, and Strokes Gained Putting was 28th. In putts inside ten feet, he ranked T-36th, making 65 of 74 putts. In 2020, Munoz took 112 putts, ranked T-14th, and in Strokes Gained Putting, he was 5th. In the critical putts made inside 10 feet, Munoz made 63 of 70 and ranked T-16th.
The last category is Par Breakers. Last year, 1,678 birdies were made, with only 12 other courses making more birdies. It had a total of 32 eagles, which ranked T-33rd. Last year’s winner, Mackenzie Hughes, made 21 birdies, ranked T-5th, and didn’t make an eagle. So Hughes was T-5th in Par Breaker. In 2022, 1,846 birdies were made at the Country Club of Jackson, with 12 other courses making more birdies. It had a total of 47 eagles, which ranked 40th. 2022 winner Sam Burns made 26 birdies, ranked 2nd and didn’t make an eagle. So Burns was 2nd in Par Breaker. In 2021, Sergio Garcia made 22 birdies, ranked T-2nd, and made one eagle. So Garcia was T-2nd in Par Breaker. In 2020, Munoz made 21 birdies and no eagles, as he was T-6th in Par Breakers.
So we can see this week’s trend: hit fairways and greens and make a lot of birdies.

*Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green: Combination of distance off the tee, accuracy off the tee and hitting greens

*Greens in Regulation: Number of greens hit in regulation.

*Strokes Gained Putting: Gives the equivalent of putting based on strokes gained or lost

*Par Breakers: Who makes the most birdies and eagles per round.

Of the 144 players in the field, 113 have stats on the PGA Tour for 2023.

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.

DraftKings tips

Most DraftKings points earned

We have put together a database beginning at the start of the 2023 season and going through the 2023 Fortinet (We don’t include team events), a total of 47 events. The database consists of how many points a player won during the event and his cost. Out of the database, we can determine the total DraftKing points earned and the players’ average points earned per event and average points based on the number of rounds played.

Of the players in the field, here are the top 50 playing in at least nine events:

*Here are the guys that cost the most on DraftKings this week:

Ludvig Aberg – $10,900

Stephan Jaeger – $10,400

Eric Cole – $10,300

Emiliano Grillo – $10,100

Keith Mitchell – $9,900

Lucas Herbert – $9,600

S.H. Kim – $9,400

Doug Ghim – $9,100

Adam Svensson – $9,000

Like in Napa three weeks ago, the person you least expect to win will be the winner. So we have to find the next Sahith Theegala.  Could Ludvig Aberg – $10,900 be that man?  The kid is terrific, but what worries me is simple. He was at the Ryder Cup last week and has played a lot of late. Could this week be a letdown after playing in the Ryder Cup and the other events he has played in the last few months? On the other hand, he made the effort to show up. His fellow Ryder Cup teammate Nicolai Højgaard was supposed to come and decided on Sunday night not to make the trip. Interestingly, of all the players in the field, he has the best record in DraftKings earnings, making an average of 76.1 points per event. That is only for the PGA Tour; in Switzerland, where he won, he earned 138 points, and in the BMW PGA, he earned 101.5 points, which is costly, but I feel he is a good pick for the week. Stephan Jaeger, at $10,400, is also a guy that we aren’t that well versed with; not surprisingly, he averages 70.6 points, which is a lot this week. Also, in 2023, he has made 27 of 30 cuts. His record at the Sanderson is mixed. In six starts, his best finish is T-14th in 2019. I can’t back him because in 30 starts in 2023, he only has two top-tens, a pair of T-9th finishes in Houston, and Rocket Mortgage, so it’s best to pass on him. Eric Cole, at $10,300, earned a fair amount of DraftKings points (67 per event). Yes, he missed the cut last year, but I feel his game is very sharp. He finished 4th at Fortinet and should do well this week. Emiliano Grillo at $10,100 is another good point. He has a solid record at the Sanderson, making four of four cuts, including a T-5th last year. He ended the year on a high, getting to the Tour Championship. He doesn’t have to play in this event but likes the course, so watch him. Keith Mitchell at $9,900 is a no for me. He has missed the cut in all three Sanderson starts and is coming off a seven-week break, with his last start arriving at the FedEx St. Jude (T-4rd). Lucas Herbert at $9,600 is also a no for me. He missed the Sanderson cut in his only start in 2022. He hasn’t been very sharp since winning in Japan in April. S.H. Kim at $9,400 is a thought. He was T-13th in his only start at the Sanderson. He was sharp at the Fortinet, finishing 2nd. Doug Ghim at $9,100, is a no and has made three of four cuts at the Sanderson, but his best finish was T-23rd in 2021. His year lacks a top-ten finish, which is a good reason to forget about him. Adam Svensson, at $9,000, is also a no. He has not played great in this event and, besides a T-7th at Wyndham, hasn’t played well since winning the RSM Classic.

Here is our feature in which we help you decide which guys make the most cuts at the Sanderson Farms.  The importance of picking six players that play 72 holes is vital in playing well in Draftkings, and this list will help.  It’s a look going back to the start of the 2023 season on who has made the most cuts.  Of course, those who make a lot of cuts and are priced low are very helpful.  To get on this list, you have to make at least three starts:

• Stephan Jaeger has made 27 in 30 starts for a 90.0% – His Drafkings cost is $10,400
• Ludvig Aberg has made 8 in 9 starts for a 89.0% – His Drafkings cost is $10,900
• S.Y. Noh has made 14 in 18 starts for a 78.0% – His Drafkings cost is $6,700
• Sam Bennett has made 7 in 9 starts for a 78.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,200
• Emiliano Grillo has made 22 in 29 starts for a 76.0% – His Drafkings cost is $10,100
• Dylan Wu has made 20 in 27 starts for a 74.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,600
• Adam Svensson has made 22 in 30 starts for a 73.0% – His Drafkings cost is $9,000
• Eric Cole has made 23 in 32 starts for a 72.0% – His Drafkings cost is $10,300
• Keith Mitchell has made 18 in 25 starts for a 72.0% – His Drafkings cost is $9,900
• Beau Hossler has made 21 in 29 starts for a 72.0% – His Drafkings cost is $9,200
• Andrew Novak has made 17 in 24 starts for a 71.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,100
• Peter Kuest has made 7 in 10 starts for a 70.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,400
• Alex Smalley has made 20 in 29 starts for a 69.0% – His Drafkings cost is $8,900
• Akshay Bhatia has made 13 in 19 starts for a 68.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,900
• Davis Thompson has made 17 in 25 starts for a 68.0% – His Drafkings cost is $8,200
• Nate Lashley has made 18 in 27 starts for a 67.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,500
• Ben Griffin has made 20 in 30 starts for a 67.0% – His Drafkings cost is $8,400
• Satoshi Kodaira has made 10 in 15 starts for a 67.0% – His Drafkings cost is $6,500
• Sam Stevens has made 20 in 30 starts for a 67.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,700
• Tom Hoge has made 19 in 29 starts for a 66.0% – His Drafkings cost is $8,600
• Brandon Wu has made 19 in 29 starts for a 66.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,600
• Greyson Sigg has made 19 in 29 starts for a 66.0% – His Drafkings cost is $7,500
• S.H. Kim has made 21 in 32 starts for a 66.0% – His Drafkings cost is $9,400

(Those that I like are in bold)

*Players in that $7,600 to $8,900 price range, which ones are worth the money?:

We need to look carefully at this price range, this is where the champion will come from.  A good example of a person to watch is Mark Hubbard at $8,800, he was T-5th last year and does average 57 DraftKings points per event.  He was T-17th at the Fortinet and was T-6th at the John Deere, and T-10th at Barracuda.  Sam Ryder at $8,500 is a person to watch, he hasn’t played great at the Sanderson but has been solid in his last four events.  Lee Hodges at $8,300 is a good choice, he won at the 3M and has played solid all year.  Garrick Higgo at $8,100 had a great Sanderson Farms last year, finishing 3rd and despite not finishing in the top ten since has been solid.  Akshay Bhatia at $7,900 is a player to be serious about.  He is a bit of Jekyll and Hyde, but he has the game to win (showing that at the Barracuda, which he won) he makes a lot of DraftKings points, averaging 66.8 for the year. Dylan Wu at $7,600 has solid stats for the year that could help him this week. Kevin Streelman at $7,600 is a very good choice, solid record in this event and has played well of late, he will at least make the cut.

Some of the “bargains” this week at Southern Farms

I like Callum Tarren at $7,500, he was T-13th last year and was T-7th at Fortinet.  Erik Van Rooyen at $7,400 is bouncing back from injuries and played well in Europe in September.  Kevin Yu at $7,200 is one of the best from tee to green, he was T-19th last year at Sanderson, think he will get it together this week.  Peter Malnati at $7,200 has played solid in this event, including a win in 2016 and runner-up in 2021.  He was T-11th at the Fortinet, is a great putter, and can go low anytime.  Scott Stallings at $7,200, is another veteran with some gas left in the tank, won this event in 2012, was T-6th in 2021, and T-13th last year.