Sanderson Farms Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Country Club of Jackson

JACKSON, MS - OCTOBER 30: The trophy during the Final Round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson on October 30, 2016 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSON, MS - OCTOBER 30: The trophy during the Final Round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson on October 30, 2016 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – SEPTEMBER 22: Sebastian Munoz of Colombia poses with the trophy after putting in to win in a sudden death playoff during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson on September 22, 2019 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – SEPTEMBER 22: Sebastian Munoz of Colombia poses with the trophy after putting in to win in a sudden death playoff during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson on September 22, 2019 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

One of these names is not like the other. One of these names is not like the rest.

That paraphrased tune came to mind when I looked at the 2019-2020 FedEx Cup final standings, and particularly the top 10. It was none other than No. 8 Sebastian Munoz.

I didn’t forget that Sea Bass had a great season, but I was reminded of how much he helped his career the last 12 months.

The 27-year-old Colombian was up and down between the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour from 2016-2019. He kept his PGA Tour card in 2019-2020 and wasted little time locking it up for another two years.

Munoz won the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship with rounds of 70-67-63-70. He beat another rising 20-something, Sungjae Im, in a playoff. Munoz made just three bogeys and no “others”. His length was a big asset as he was third in the field in driving distance (315.4) and fourth in strokes gained off the tee (3.755 total). Pair that with a hot putter (6.25 total, 5th SG), and he unlocked the formula that often wins on Tour these days.

The former North Texas Mean Green hasn’t won since then but has still played well. He earned his third top-10 of the fall with solo third at the RSM Classic. It was a fairly quiet 2020 until the playoffs rolled around. Munoz finished T-18th and T-8th to help him qualify for his first Tour Championship. There, he shot the T-7th gross score en route to eighth on the net leaderboard.

He last teed it up a couple weeks ago at the U.S. Open where he made his first cut in four tries at a major championship, finishing T-59th at Winged Foot.

Overall last season, Munoz was in the positive in all strokes gained categories, finishing anywhere between 34th and 94th.

Munoz has two more years on the PGA Tour status locked up and is in all the majors in 2021 by virtue of making it to East Lake. That peace of mind can do a lot for a big hitter like Munoz to swing free and easy.