Hossler had seven birdies and an eagle Friday after making six birdies Thursday.
JACKSON, Mississippi — David Skinns woke up Friday morning atop the leaderboard at the Sanderson Farms Championship after shooting a course record 12-under par 60 on Thursday.
He’ll wake up Saturday in a three-way for third place at 13-under − two shots behind leader Beau Hossler, who shot an 8-under 64, and one shot behind Daniel Berger.
“I’m thrilled,” said Hossler, who had seven birdies and an eagle Friday after making six birdies Thursday. “Just feel like I made it relatively stress-free. Certainly a few holes I had to grind a little bit.
“All in all, ball’s been in the fairway or close and on the green or close, and I’ve putted pretty well. I’ve read the greens pretty well from seven to 20 feet.”
Hossler has two more days to try to make sure his name is the one on the $1.37 million check that goes to the winner.
1. Beau Hossler (-15) 2. Daniel Berger (-14) T3. Jacob Bridgeman (-13) T3. Keith Mitchell T3. David Skinns T6. Hayden Springer (-12) T6. Gary Woodland T6. Lucas Glover T6. Martin Laird T6. Kevin Yu T6. Michael Thorbjornsen
Hossler twice qualified for the U.S. Open as a teenager, including in 2012 when he finished tied for 29th and held the lead halfway through the second round.
Berger, along with many others, though, would like to make sure Hossler’s doesn’t get the tournament’s top spoils.
“I’m just trying to have some fun and enjoy myself,” said Berger, who has 14 birdies − seven each round − and zero bogeys. “Seems to be working so far. My dad was out here earlier with me this week, so just felt kind of like a normal week at home.
“That’s usually when I play my best.”
Paul Skrbina is a sports enterprise reporter for the USA Today Network. Reach him at pskrbina@gannett.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @paulskrbina.
Exactly 100 miles, most on U.S. 49, separate The Country Club of Jackson and Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg.
JACKSON, Miss. — Twenty-eight feet, two words and integrity stood between Davis Riley and a shot at the U.S. Junior Amateur championship in 2013.
It moved.
That’s what the then-16-year-old from Hattiesburg confessed to rules official Skip Giston and opponent Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world today. His ball had rolled a bit after he addressed it while preparing to putt from just off the green on the final hole of match play.
Riley was penalized one stroke as a result. He conceded Scheffler’s short putt, putting the title of tournament champion on Scheffler by a 3 and 2 count.
It moved.
“It sure does feel like a lifetime ago,” Riley said Tuesday while he took a break from practicing putts at The Country Club of Jackson ahead of the Sanderson Farms Championship, which begins Thursday.
Riley tees off at 7:38 a.m. that day with Trey Mullinax, a fellow Alabama alum and Cameron Champ.
‘It was all in good fun’
Riley was reminded of that day in late May, when Scheffler had a front-row seat to the former’s victory in the final round of the Colonial National Invitational, aka the Charles Schwab Challenge, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
The two played together in the final pairing, with Riley winning his first individual PGA Tour event with a 14-under-par. Scheffler tied for second at 9 under.
“A video resurfaced,” Riley said with a grin. “It was pretty funny looking back on that.”
Does Scheffler ever talk trash about that day in 2013?
“Not really,” Riley said.
That responsibility belongs to another golfer from Texas who beat Riley for the 2014 Junior Amateur title, Will Zalatoris.
“I probably hear it a little bit more from him than from Scottie,” said Riley, who has qualified for the U.S Open three times and tied for 13th in the 2022 PGA Championship. “It’s all in good fun. That was a good time.”
Riley’s two second-place finishes did land him in elite company with Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth, though. They are the only players to appear in the junior amateur championship match twice.
‘This is the final hole to win the Masters’
Exactly 100 miles, most on U.S. 49, separate The Country Club of Jackson and Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg, according to Google Maps.
The latter is where Riley, 27, grew up in his family’s home that overlooked the ninth fairway.
Riley’s return to his home state this week, though, is not a return trip home.
This is about business. About trying to add the winner’s share of $1.368 million to his bank account. About putting to bed not making the cut the last three years here after tying for 39th in 2020.
Still, the memories of home always resurface when Riley is here.
One hundred miles away from Jackson is where, as a 4- or 5-year-old boy, Riley began to wear a 200-yard path from his house to the driving range. Where his golf aspirations were born. Where he won four individual state championships at Presbyterian Christian School before enrolling at Alabama.
He turned pro in 2019.
“Playing matches with buddies, you know, ‘This is the final hole to win the Masters,’ and things like that,” Riley said. “This is the place we always dreamed to be. I have to pinch myself every now and then, because I’m living out my dream.
Those in the city are hoping to woo another sponsor to the course.
Luke List is back to defend his title at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi, where the field will compete for a $7.6 million purse. The Sanderson Farms is the second of the FedEx Cup Fall events, which will finalize eligibility for the 2025 PGA Tour Season.
A total of seven past champions are in the field, including List (2023), Mackenzie Hughes (2022), Cameron Champ (2018), Ryan Armour
(2017), Cody Gribble (2016), Peter Malnati (2015) and Bill Haas (2010).
As the 12th and final year of sponsorship for Wayne Sanderson Farms at Mississippi’s only PGA Tour event is nearing an end, there is no better way to find a new sponsor than to show off at this year’s tournament. Wayne Sanderson Farms’ run as a full …
As the 12th and final year of sponsorship for Wayne Sanderson Farms at Mississippi’s only PGA Tour event is nearing an end, there is no better way to find a new sponsor than to show off at this year’s tournament.
Wayne Sanderson Farms’ run as a full partner with Jackson and its PGA tournament has been a historic one.
However, the 2024 Sanderson Farm Championship will be the last for the company as the title sponsor of the Jackson PGA Tour stop.
While its contract runs through 2026, the company decided in August to move on as the title sponsor, but remain as a major sponsor for the tournament, which is held at the Country Club of Jackson.
That leaves tournament director Steve Jent searching for a 2025 and beyond sponsor as this year’s tournament gears up to kick off next week.
“I feel really good in general for next week. The weather looks great. It’s going to be a chamber of commerce type setting, for sure,” Jent told the Clarion Ledger.
Also, Jent believes the tournament is on track for its main job, which is raising money for charity. He said early returns look like last year when the tournament helped raise $1.5 million in charitable impact benefiting Children’s of Mississippi and other Mississippi charities.
Since becoming title sponsor in 2013, the Sanderson Farms Championship has raised more than $17 million for charity including Children’s of Mississippi and other Mississippi-based causes.
“With both Mississippi State and Ole Miss on the road next week and with the weather looking great, that should help our crowds,” Jent said. “So, yeah, I feel great about next week.”
But as much as great weather and great crowds and a great field of players will make this year’s tournament great, making this year’s tournament great is important in showing a potential new sponsor the value of signing on for the future.
“We are still working on what 2025 looks like, and we still have some time to figure that out,” Jent said. “But yes, we want to use next week to entertain anyone that might be interested in being the title sponsor. Having said that, the clock doesn’t run out after the tournament ends next week. We have time still to work with the PGA tournament and come up with just the right plan.”
Luke List of the United States celebrates after after a putt on the first playoff hole of the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson on October 08, 2023 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Sanderson Farms history
Mississippi has been a PGA stop since 1968 when the tournament was known as the Magnolia Classic and was played in Hattiesburg. The tournament has had several names and sponsors over the years, including the Deposit Guaranty Classic from 1986–1998, the Farm Bureau Classic from 1999–2006 and the Viking Classic from 2007–2011. In 2012, it was called the True South Classic because it didn’t have a title sponsor. Sanderson Farms has sponsored the tournament since 2013.
Sanderson Farms also spearheaded to the move from Annandale Golf Course in Madison to the Country Club of Jackson, which continues to be recognized as one of the top courses in the nation.
The tournament has a $7.6 million purse with a $1.368 million winner’s share. Luke List is the defending champion and the Sanderson Farms Championship has a field of 132 players and a cut to 70 players.
A general view of the Country Club of Jackson water tower during the third round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson on October 07, 2023, in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
What’s next?
Despite the uncertain future of the tournament at the moment, Jent said the future is still bright.
“I believe this cat still has some of its nine lives left,” he said. “Over the course of the history of this tournament, it has definitely seen worse days. I think we’ve built something, between Century Club and our sponsors and everyone that has volunteers, we have built something that will be appealing to someone out there that wants to be our next title sponsor.”
With that in mind, Jent has every intention of putting the tournament’s best foot forward for next week.
“This is a great showcase for us, there is no doubt,” Jent said. “Not only is this a great showcase to the world for Mississippi, it’s a lot of fun. There are great parties, a great atmosphere and great golf. You can cut any way you want to, but there will be 132 of the greatest players in the world here in Mississippi next week. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that. I think that is how we are really approaching everything.”
Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.
Sanderson Farms spearheaded the move from Annandale Golf Course to the Country Club of Jackson.
Wayne Sanderson Farms’ run as a full partner with Jackson, Mississippi, and its PGA tournament has been a historic one.
However, the 2024 Sanderson Farm Championship will be the 12th and last for the company as the title sponsor of the Jackson PGA Tour stop.
While its contract runs through 2026, the company has decided to move on as the title sponsor, but remain as a major sponsor for the tournament, which is held at the Country Club of Jackson. No financial details were released as part of the announcement.
“Wayne-Sanderson Farms is going to continue to partner with us in the near future to help our charitable efforts for Mississippi charities,” said Steve Jent, the executive director of the Sanderson Farms Championship. “There is a natural evolution on the PGA Tour of title sponsors. This has been an awesome 12-year run.”
PGA Tour official Mark Stevens told the Clarion Ledger that the average time for a Tour tournament sponsor is 13 years. Stevens said that, for the moment, the PGA Tour is leaving all public comments to Wayne-Sanderson Farms and local officials.
Since becoming title sponsor in 2013, the Sanderson Farms Championship has raised more than $17 million for charity including Children’s of Mississippi and other Mississippi-based causes.
“Wayne-Sanderson Farms is proud to be the title sponsor of the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson,” Clint Rivers, Wayne-Sanderson Farms President and CEO said in a statement to the Clarion Ledger. “Although this year’s event is our final year as title sponsor, Wayne-Sanderson Farms remains committed to supporting Children’s of Mississippi and other local charities through continued partnership with Century Club Charities and the PGA Tour. “We’re honored to support the championship and its impact on Mississippi families, and we’re excited to continue our involvement with this great event.”
Mississippi has been a PGA stop since 1968 when the tournament was known as the Magnolia Classic and was played in Hattiesburg. The tournament has had several names and sponsors over the years, including the Deposit Guaranty Classic from 1986–1998, the Farm Bureau Classic from 1999–2006 and the Viking Classic from 2007–2011. In 2012, it was called the True South Classic because it didn’t have a title sponsor. Sanderson Farms has sponsored the tournament since 2013.
In June, news arose that Wayne-Sanderson Farms laid off 40 employees at its Laurel campus. Many wondered then what that could mean for the future of Mississippi’s only PGA Tour event.
Ever since Cargill and privately held Continental Grain formed a joint venture to acquire Sanderson Farms in 2021 for $4.53 billion, questions have swirled about whether the giant chicken company would continue to sponsor the Sanderson Farms Championships at the Country Club of Jackson.
Before the merger, Sanderson Farms had been a Mississippi-owned company, with its home base in Laurel. It had been run by long-time CEO and chairman of the board, Joe Sanderson, who championed the PGA Tour coming to the Magnolia State.
The Sanderson Farms Championship trophy at the Country Club of Jackson. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
What’s next?
While Jent, the PGA Tour and Century Club Charities all still have a tournament to host this year at CCJ, as construction of bleachers began this week for the event that will run from Sept. 30-Oct. 6, all eyes are definitely on the future.
“For a potential new title sponsor and partner to come in for 2025 and beyond, it was critical for us to get this out in the news so that if anyone were interested, we could use the tournament as an opportunity to host companies during the week of the tournament,” Jent said. “We want them to see the excitement, they can participate and be a part of it. So, the timing for us is that we wanted to make everyone aware that we will be looking for a new partner to be the title.”
Jent said he and others have already had some conversations with companies that could be interested.
“We will work to lock in someone as quickly as we can,” Jent said.
There have also been questions with last year’s news of the partnership between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf that could leave the Sanderson Farms Championship in doubt.
However, Jent believes the future of the tournament is safe.
“I think there has been some great recent announcements from the PGA Tour with companies coming in to make the complete tour of 40 stops safe,” said Jent in reference to new sponsors for tournaments in Lexington, Kentucky, Napa, California as well Charlotte, North Carolina. “I think there is a lot of positive momentum around PGA Tour events, its sponsors as well as events, like ours in the fall. I think we are on a good track.”
The tournament has a $7.6 million purse with a $1.368 million winner’s share. Luke List is the defending champion and the Sanderson Farms Championship has a field of 132 players and a cut to 70 players.
A threesome heads up the 18th fairway during the second round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Miss., Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.
Century Club Charities
Century Club Charities is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 to promote golf for the benefit of Mississippi charities.
Since that time, it has served as the host organization for Mississippi’s PGA Tour event, helping raise more than $24.5 million for Children’s of Mississippi as well as other area charities. The total charitable contribution from the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship were $1.5 million.
This year’s president J.R. Woodall believes the future is bright, even without Wayne-Sanderson Farms
“Sanderson Farms has been the best title sponsor on the tour,” Woodall said. “With the commitment to Sanderson Tower (at Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson), they changed children’s healthcare in Mississippi forever. It’s been incredible. And even exiting as title sponsor, they are staying committed to the hospital for the future. That’s what that means to them.”
Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.
Everything you need to know for the final round in Mississippi.
There are 18 holes left to determine the winner of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi, and one man stands above the rest.
PGA Tour rookie Ben Griffin, who tied for 24th at last year’s Sanderson Farms, is alone atop the leaderboard at 20 under after firing a 6-under 66 on Saturday afternoon. He kept the bogeys off the card on Day 3 and is now in prime position to earn his first win on Tour.
Alone in second is Carl Yuan (5-under 67) at 17 under, while three players — Scott Stallings (7-under 65), Henrik Norlander (4-under 68) and Luke List (4-under 68) — are tied for third at 16 under.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the final round of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson. All times listed are ET.
Sunday tee times
Tee time
Players
8:10 a.m.
Ford Clegg, Jim Herman
8:20 a.m.
Jonas Blixt, Chris Stroud
8:30 a.m.
Ben Taylor, Trevor Cone
8:40 a.m.
Callum Tarren, Jimmy Walker
8:50 a.m.
Doc Redman, Austin Cook
9 a.m.
Garrick Higgo, Brandon Wu
9:10 a.m.
Stephan Jaeger, Adam Long
9:20 a.m.
Dylan Frittelli, Kramer Hickok
9:30 a.m.
Brandt Snedeker, Kyle Westmoreland
9:45 a.m.
Ben Martin, Andrew Landry
9:55 a.m.
Akshay Bhatia, Hank Lebioda
10:05 a.m.
Ted Potter Jr., Alex Noren
10:15 a.m.
Lee Hodges, Lucas Herbert
10:25 a.m.
William McGirt, Eric Cole
10:35 a.m.
Kevin Kisner, Chris Baker
10:45 a.m.
Ross Streelman, Cameron Percy
10:55 a.m.
Kevin Chappell, Robert Streb
11:10 a.m.
Michael Gligic, Nicholas Lindheim
11:20 a.m.
Sam Ryder, Scott Harrington
11:30 a.m.
Martin Laird, Matthew NeSmith
11:40 a.m.
David Lipsky, Cody Gribble
11:50 a.m.
Vince Whaley, Tyler Duncan
12 p.m.
Peter Kuest, Kelly Kraft
12:10 p.m.
Wesley Bryan, Beau Hossler
12:20 p.m.
Peter Malnati, Russell Knox
12:35 p.m.
Davis Thompson, Ryan Palmer
12:45 p.m.
Nick Hardy, Tommy Gainey
12:55 p.m.
Chesson Hadley, Harrison Endycott
1:05 p.m.
Lanto Griffin, C.T. Pan
1:15 p.m.
Alex Smalley, Brett White
1:25 p.m.
Harry Higgs, Richy Werenski
1:35 p.m.
Chad Ramey, Tom Hoge
1:45 p.m.
Erik van Rooyen, Troy Merritt
2 p.m.
Mark Hubbard, Joel Dahmen
2:10 p.m.
Ludvig Aberg, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
2:20 p.m.
Zecheng Dou, Adam Svensson
2:30 p.m.
Luke List, Cameron Champ
2:40 p.m.
Scott Stallings, Henrik Norlander
2:50 p.m.
Ben Griffin, Carl Yuan
How to watch, listen
ESPN+ is the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live. There is no PGA Tour Live coverage of the third and final rounds of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship.
Everything you need to know for the third round in Mississippi.
The first 36 holes of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi are in the books and one man holds the two-day lead.
Ben Griffin, after shooting a blistering 9-under 63 on Friday afternoon, is alone atop the leaderboard at 14 under. Four players are tied for second two shots back at 12 under, while four more players are tied for sixth at 11 under.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the third round of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson. All times listed are ET.
Saturday tee times
Tee time
Players
8:10 a.m.
Scott Harrington, Chris Baker
8:20 a.m.
Kyle Westmoreland, Michael Gligic
8:30 a.m.
Dylan Frittelli, Callum Tarren
8:40 a.m.
Kelly Kraft, Richy Werenski
8:50 a.m.
Kramer Hickok, William McGirt
9 a.m.
Stephan Jaeger, Trevor Cone
9:10 a.m.
Eric Cole, Brandon Wu
9:20 a.m.
Lee Hodges, Jonas Blixt
9:30 a.m.
Lucas Herbert, Jim Herman
9:45 a.m.
Chris Stroud, Alex Smalley
9:55 a.m.
Brett White, Jimmy Walker
10:05 a.m.
Adam Long, Nicholas Lindheim
10:15 a.m.
Vince Whaley, Ted Potter Jr.
10:25 a.m.
Ben Taylor, Kevin Chappell
10:35 a.m.
Nick Hardy, Robert Streb
10:45 a.m.
Ross Streelman, Cameron Percy
10:55 a.m.
Tommy Gainey, Alex Noren
11:10 a.m.
Chad Ramey, Akshay Bhatia
11:20 a.m.
Hank Lebioda, Ben Martin
11:30 a.m.
Mark Hubbard, Ford Clegg
11:40 a.m.
Kevin Kisner, Lanto Griffin
11:50 a.m.
Davis Thompson, Tyler Duncan
12 p.m.
David Lipsky, Doc Redman
12:10 p.m.
Ryan Palmer, Austin Cook
12:20 p.m.
Peter Malnati, Cody Gribble
12:35 p.m.
C.T. Pan, Andrew Landry
12:45 p.m.
Garrick Higgo, Russell Knox
12:55 p.m.
Martin Laird, Cameron Champ
1:05 p.m.
Matt NeSmith, Tom Hoge
1:15 p.m.
Adam Svensson, Ludvig Aberg
1:25 p.m.
Joel Dahmen, Brandt Snedeker
1:35 p.m.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Sam Ryder
1:45 p.m.
Scott Stallings, Wesley Bryan
2 p.m.
Beau Hossler, Peter Kuest
2:10 p.m.
Harry Higgs, Erik van Rooyen
2:20 p.m.
Zecheng Dou, Troy Merritt
2:30 p.m.
Henrik Norlander, Chesson Hadley
2:40 p.m.
Luke List, Carl Yuan
2:50 p.m.
Ben Griffin, Harrison Endycott
How to watch, listen
ESPN+ is the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live. There is no PGA Tour Live coverage of the third and final rounds of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship.
Everything you need to know for the second round in Mississippi.
After a two-week hiatus for international team play the PGA Tour is back in action this week down south.
Mackenzie Hughes is back to defend his title at the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi, where the field will compete for an $8.2 million purse.
The winner also earns a spot in the 2023 Masters.
Chesson Hadley leads by a shot at 8 under. Henrik Norlander is a shot back and tied for second along with Brandon Wu. The guy drawing some of the biggest crowds this week, European Ryder Cupper Ludvig Aberg, is tied for 11th after an opening-round 67.
The Sanderson Farms is the second of seven FedEx Cup Fall events, which will finalize eligibility for the 2024 PGA Tour season (more on that here).
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the second round of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson. All times listed are ET.
Friday tee times
1st tee
Time
Players
8 a.m.
C.T. Pan, Martin Trainer, Scott Brown
8:11 a.m.
Charley Hoffman, Ben Martin, Jonathan Byrd
8:22 a.m.
Brice Garnett, Harry Hall, MJ Daffue
8:33 a.m.
Luke List, Lucas Herbert, Jim Herman
8:44 a.m.
Brian Gay, Andrew Landry, Keith Mitchell
8:55 a.m.
Jonas Blixt, Peter Malnati, Chesson Hadley
9:06 a.m.
Sung Kang, Cody Gribble, Tommy Gainey
9:17 a.m.
Ryan Palmer, Satoshi Kodaira, Austin Smotherman
9:28 a.m.
Austin Cook, David Lipsky, Tyson Alexander
9:39 a.m.
Sean O’Hair, Brandon Wu, Kevin Yu
9:50 a.m.
Trevor Cone, Brandon Matthews, Peter Kuest
10:01 a.m.
Carl Yuan, Trevor Werbylo, Zack Fischer
12:55 p.m.
Doug Ghim, Kramer Hickok, Paul Haley II
1:06 p.m.
Kelly Kraft, S.H. Kim, Davis Thompson
1:17 p.m.
Hayden Buckley, Justin Lower, Zecheng Dou
1:28 p.m.
Nick Hardy, Chez Reavie, Trey Mullinax
1:39 p.m.
K.H. Lee, Tom Hoge, Kevin Kisner
1:50 p.m.
Mackenzie Hughes, Cameron Champ, Scott Stallings
2:01 p.m.
Patton Kizzire, Greyson Sigg, Andrew Novak
2:12 p.m.
Wesley Bryan, Mark Hubbard, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
2:23 p.m.
Kevin Chappell, Nick Watney, Ben Griffin
2:34 p.m.
Scott Piercy, Ted Potter, Jr., Max McGreevy
2:45 p.m.
Brent Grant, Kyle Westmoreland, Chase Parker
2:56 p.m.
Nicholas Lindheim, Brett White, Ford Clegg
10th tee
Time
Players
8 a.m.
Jimmy Walker, S.Y. Noh, Hank Lebioda
8:11 a.m.
Chris Stroud, Sam Ryder, Harrison Endycott
8:22 a.m.
Ryan Armour, Alex Smalley, Dylan Wu
8:33 a.m.
Erik van Rooyen, Joel Dahmen, Brandt Snedeker
8:44 a.m.
Lee Hodges, Davis Riley, Chad Ramey
8:55 a.m.
Akshay Bhatia, Adam Svensson, Ludvig Åberg
9:06 a.m.
Alex Noren, Beau Hossler, Eric Cole
9:17 a.m.
Jason Dufner, Camilo Villegas, D.J. Trahan
9:28 a.m.
Ryan Moore, Doc Redman, Matthias Schwab
9:39 a.m.
Ricky Barnes, Stephan Jaeger, Sam Stevens
9:50 a.m.
Matti Schmid, Kevin Roy, Sam Bennett
10:01 a.m.
Augusto Núñez, Ryan Gerard, Ross Steelman
12:55 p.m.
Kevin Tway, William McGirt, Carson Young
1:06 p.m.
Ben Crane, Zac Blair, Matt NeSmith
1:17 p.m.
Nate Lashley, Cameron Percy, Henrik Norlander
1:28 p.m.
Richy Werenski, Tyler Duncan, Troy Merritt
1:39 p.m.
Robert Streb, Martin Laird, Lanto Griffin
1:50 p.m.
Emiliano Grillo, Ryan Brehm, Garrick Higgo
2:01 p.m.
Kevin Streelman, Harry Higgs, Robby Shelton
2:12 p.m.
Greg Chalmers, Will Gordon, Ben Taylor
2:23 p.m.
Dylan Frittelli, Brian Stuard, Vince Whaley
2:34 p.m.
Adam Long, Russell Knox, Callum Tarren
2:45 p.m.
Michael Gligic, Scott Harrington, Fred Biondi
2:56 p.m.
Tano Goya, Greg Sonnier, Chris Baker
How to watch, listen
ESPN+ is the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live. There is no PGA Tour Live coverage of the third and final rounds of the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship.
The merchandise tent offers up some interesting items, from blankets to shot glasses and hats galore.
The second leg of the FedEx Cup Fall schedule is underway in Jackson, Mississippi, and there’s plenty at stake at the Sanderson Farms Championship. The top 70 have secured their cards for the 2024 PGA Tour season, which is returning to a calendar-year schedule (January-August).
But since the top 125 after the RSM Classic, the last of the seven fall events, will retain their playing privileges for 2024, players are fighting for their jobs this week. Mackenzie Hughes is back to defend his title at The Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi, where the field will compete for an $8.2 million purse.
And as is typically the case on Tour, the merchandise tent at the Sanderson Farms offers up some unique and interesting items for those taking in the tournament, from blankets to shot glasses and hats galore.
Check out the merchandise for sale this week at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Coming off the Presidents Cup, Sam Burns’ schedule didn’t offer him much time to recharge.
JACKSON, Miss. — Sam Burns allowed himself some time to reminisce Wednesday morning as he journeyed to The Country Club of Jackson to map out his title defense at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Reaching for memories of his previous five appearances in the event, some of the details have been lost to time for Burns — understandable amid the chaos that accompanies a successful golf career such as his. Burns now finds himself ranked 12th in the world, and he helped the United States take home the Presidents Cup last week during his debut in that event.
What remains vivid in Burns’ mind, though, is the role Sanderson event played in helping him launch his career. His start in 2017 tournament was his first as a professional on the PGA Tour.
“I remember being really, really nervous,” Burns, the former LSU star, said Tuesday. “Granted, I expected to be. I’m nervous every week I tee it up, but especially that week. I think having a lot of friends and family here was really special, and going out and trying to figure out where my game stacked up against guys on the PGA Tour, that’s what I remember most.”
Burns finished tied for 43rd that weekend in 2017, shooting 2 under.
His most recent trip to The Country Club of Jackson proved far more successful. Burns finished 22 under, setting a tournament record at this course to win the event.
“To be able to play really well here the last few years means a lot to me,” he said.
Sam Burns walks with five-year-old Mary Mosley Pickering of Philadelphia, Mississippi, during the 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship pro-am at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo: Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger)
The characteristics of the course provide Burns with an additional wave of nostalgia. The turf at the course and the general style of the layout is similar to what the Louisiana native became accustomed to growing up, he said. That also means he knows what it takes to play well — knowledge he’ll look to apply when he tees off Thursday at 12:28 p.m. ET.
“For starters, you have to drive the ball well just because it’s really hard to predict out of the Bermuda rough,” Burns said. “The greens are obviously really fast, but I think if you get in the right spots on the greens, you can make a lot of putts. The greens roll so pure. I think it’s a combination of driving the ball well and giving yourself a lot of opportunities on the greens.”
Coming off the conclusion of the Presidents Cup on Sunday, Burns’ schedule didn’t offer him much time to recharge, but the proximity of the Sanderson Farms to his home in Choudrant, Louisiana, did.
Burns enjoyed a few hours out of the sight of the public, making grocery store runs for his wife and chowing down on a salad, nuggets and fries inside the local Chick-fil-A.
“I think out here sometimes it feels like you live two lives,” Burns said. “You’re out on the road playing and then you go home and see friends and people that you don’t get to see as much. I didn’t really get to see a lot of friends the last couple of days, but being able to go home and just relax, that was really nice.”
Contact David Eckert at deckert@gannett.com or on Twitter @davideckert98.
