There will be no shortage of roosters this week on the PGA Tour.
There will be no shortage of roosters this week on the PGA Tour.
The second event of the FedEx Cup Fall heads to Jackson, Mississippi, for the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson. From the trophy to the tee markers and all of the signage, the rooster will be a prominent feature throughout the week, but enjoy it while it lasts.
Sanderson Farms has been the title sponsor of the Tour’s Mississippi event since 2013 and has renewed for the 2025 event.
“It was definitely a different feeling packing and getting ready to come here versus just going to another tournament.”
It has been a while since Rickie Fowler has played golf.
Three months ago and on a different continent, Fowler finished 71st in the Open Championship at Royal Troon. Since then, he hasn’t played any competitive golf, but he does have a new addition to his family.
He and wife Allison welcomed their second daughter, Nellie, in early August.
“I’ve definitely enjoyed being able to help out as much as possible, and going from one to two, you can kind of do the one together versus — obviously Allison is on top of all of Nellie’s stuff as well as Maya, but she can’t be in two places at once,” Fowler said.
One of the areas Fowler said he has stepped up in? The kitchen, where he said he has made a few good briskets recently.
“I feel like the cooking game went to another level,” Fowler said. “I felt like I was decent before, but my wife and I used to cook a lot together, and having a little one that she kind of had to be on duty at all times with, that put a lot more of the cooking duties on me.”
On the golf course, Fowler is setting up for a busy October. He will play three of the next four weeks, making stops at the Shriners Children’s Open and Zozo Championship in Japan later this month. But first, he’s playing the Sanderson Farms Championship, the second tournament of the PGA Tour’s eight-event fall schedule.
Fowler admitted he’ll try to shake off some rust, though he hopes there’s not too much to get rid of. The tournament wasn’t originally on Fowler’s schedule – he has never played at The Country Club of Jackson – but he decided to head to Mississippi thanks to the repertoire the course and tournament had earned from fellow PGA Tour players.
“I guess the last month and a half or so I’ve gotten back more into working on the game and getting ready to come here,” he said. “It was odd packing, back to life on the road. Typically traveling with the family, it made more sense to come solo.”
Last season wasn’t the best for Fowler. He missed out on the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and he sits 108th in the FedEx Cup standings. His status isn’t in the air for next year thanks to his victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2023, but that’s why he’s trying to find his groove heading into next year.
Part of that process is some new equipment in the bag. He’s testing out a DF3 putter from L.A.B., which is in the bag for the first time, as is a TaylorMade mini-driver, which is replacing his 3-wood.
“Ultimately we’re all trying to get better, as am I, and see if there’s little things we can piece together to continue to move forward,” Fowler said.
“The putter I’ve been doing some testing with for I guess almost two months now. I wouldn’t be putting something into play if I didn’t think there was a real potential benefit.”
Rickie Fowler swings his daughter, Maya, while walking to the No. 9 green with his wife, Allison Stokke Fowler, during the 2024 Masters Par 3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: USA TODAY)
Fowler has enjoyed being home the last couple months and spending time with Allison and their new family of four. He said older daughter Maya has been great as a big sister, even when she does test the limits of what dad and mom let her get away with.
But golf never left his mind, and he’s ready to find his groove and start preparing for a strong 2025. That process begins Thursday.
“It feels good to have that time off, kind of refresh, rebuild a bit,” Fowler said. “Excited to come back out. It was definitely a different feeling packing and getting ready to come here versus just going to another tournament. It kind of feels a little bit like a fresh start.”
The purse at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship is $7.6 million with $1.368 million going to the winner.
The PGA Tour returns this week with the second event of the FedEx Cup Fall, the Sanderson Farms Championship.
The Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi will host the event for the 11th time, though this is the last year Sanderson Farms will be the main sponsor for the event. The course is a par-72 layout measuring 7,461 yards. Among the notables in the field include Rickie Fowler, International Presidents Cup team member and 2022 champion Mackenzie Hughes and others.
The purse at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship is $7.6 million with $1.368 million going to the winner. Luke List is the defending champion.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the first round of the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship. All times listed are CT.
Thursday tee times
Groupings and starting times for the first two rounds of the Sanderson Farms Championship pic.twitter.com/WEzvEu0IzY
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).
The Presidents Cup is now in the rearview mirror, and it’s time for the PGA Tour to head to Jackson, Mississippi, for the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship.
International Team member Mackenzie Hughes — the Canadian went 1-3-0 at the biennial bash — is one of the betting favorites at The Country Club of Jackson, sitting at +2200 (22/1). Keith Mitchell is +2000 to win after his 12th-place finish at the Procore Championship last month. He has missed the cut in three straight appearances at the Sanderson Farms.
Other names in the field include Rickie Fowler, Nick Dunlap, Maverick McNealy, Harris English and Matt Kuchar.
Defending champion Luke List has eight missed cuts over his last nine Tour starts.
Golf course
The Country Club of Jackson | Par 72 | 7,461 yards
The 18th fairway at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi.
Course history
Course history at the Country Club of Jackson for the Sanderson Farms Championship
-Includes average finish position and "Strokes Gained" per round in each category since 2015. Players are sorted by SG: Total
Adam Svensson of Canada plays a shot from the fourth tee during a practice round prior to the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club on June 26, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
Analysis: Svensson finished the 2024 regular season with a T-7 finish at the Wyndham Championship and tied for 13th at the Procore Championship in September to open the FedEx Cup Fall.
At last year’s Sanderson Farms, Svensson tied for 16th.
Stephan Jaeger (35/1)
Stephan Jaeger watches his shot from the 17th tee during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Analysis: Jaeger captured his first career Tour win earlier this season at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, besting world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by a shot. The German has had some success at The CC of Jackson over the last three years, finishing T-25 (2023), T-30 (2022) and T-26 (2021).
His elite distance off the tee — 27th in driving distance (308.8) — will come in handy around the John Fought design.
Henrik Norlander (+6000)
Henrik Norlander hits his tee shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Analysis: Norlander has loved himself some CC of Jackson. He lost in a playoff last year, tied for 24th in 2022 and finished T-4 in 2021 and 2020. So, getting him at 60/1 is a steal.
In early September, Norlander tied for eighth at the DP World Tour’s European Masters. And despite a T-61 finish at the Procore Championship, Norlander played well. A 6-over final round sent him tumbling down the leaderboard.
Enjoy the tee markers and rooster trophy while they last.
After a two-week hiatus that included the 2024 Presidents Cup in Montreal, Canada, the PGA Tour’s FedEx Fall Series returns to action with the first of four events over the next four weeks.
The Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi, will host the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship, which begins Thursday. Luke List is the defending champion, making a birdie to win a five-way playoff on the first extra hole in 2023 to take the crown.
From TV coverage to prize money information, here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship.
Sanderson Farms course information
The Country Club of Jackson is a par 72 layout measuring 7,461 yards. John Fought was the architect. This will be the 11th time the tournament has been contested at The Country Club of Jackson.
Sanderson Farms purse, prize money
The purse at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship is $7.6 million with $1.368 million going to the winner. Last year, the purse was $8.2 million with List earning $1.476 million for his win.
In addition to TV, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will have live early coverage of the first two rounds of the Sanderson Farms Championship beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday.
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Sanderson Farms field
Rickie Fowler highlights the field, as does International Presidents Cup team member and 2022 Sanderson Farms champion Mackenzie Hughes.
The second of eight tournaments in the 2024 FedExCup Fall continues next week at the Sanderson Farms Championship (October 3-6) in Jackson, Mississippi.
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.
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The 38-year-old won the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi via a five-way playoff with a clutch birdie on the first playoff hole, the par-4 18th. The win is the second of List’s career after he claimed the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open, also in a playoff.
For his efforts, List will take home the top prize of $1,476,000. Ben Griffin, Henrik Norlander, Scott Stallings and Ludvig Aberg each made par in the playoff and finished T-2, earning $549,400 a piece.
Check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2023 Sanderson Farms Championship.
