2024 Sanderson Farms Championship: Top 10 power rankings
"We're there to prove a point," said Xander Schauffele, following the U.S.'s 18.5 to 11.5 defeat over the Internationals. Schauffele then lit a cigar. Max Homa chugged a beer. And Kevin Kisner took his shirt off.
The Presidents Cup has long been deemed the "little brother" of the Ryder Cup. While that will (probably) always be the case, this weekend was a step in the right direction. There is a future for this event; it has "juice." Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim's exotic celebrations (enter Steph Curry) are a testament to that.
The FedEx Cup Fall returns after a two-week break for the Presidents Cup. Jackson, Mississippi, will be the center of drama in the golf universe this week for the Sanderson Farms Championship.
The Sanderson Farms Championship is the second of eight events on the fall circuit.
Players will continue to battle for Tour cards and positioning for the 2025 season. The top 125 at the end of the fall season will retain their cards for 2025. Spots in Signature Events and tour exemptions are up for grabs -- there are high stakes to play for.
Luke List returns to Jackson to defend his title after a dramatic win in a five-man playoff in last year's event. Other notable players competing this week include Keith Mitchell, Nick Dunlap, and Rickie Fowler.
Located 10 miles northeast of the city's center, The Country Club of Jackson has hosted the championship annually since 2014.
The course was designed by architect Tom Bendelow in 1914 and redesigned in 2008 by John Fought. Fought wanted to implement classic Ross-style features and fast Bermuda turfgrass greens. He did the best he could with the land he was given -- the terrain is flat and swampy making for a relatively basic track.
The CC of Jackson is known for its fast, undulating greens and deceptive run-off areas. At 7,461 yards as a par 72, the course is on the longer side of the PGA Tour rotation. The course consistently ranks inside the top ten in most fairways missed. That being said, the rough is not especially penal -- the 'bombers' should have the upper hand this week.
Past winners include long hitters like Sergio Garcia and Cameron Champ. Of all the courses on tour, perhaps at no venue is driving distance more important than The CC of Jackson. Players who hit it farthest off the tee will have the advantage of being able to club down. The 'bomb and gouge' strategy should be in full effect this week.
Because the layout is fairly basic, it can be compared to many courses on the rotation. Silverado (which hosted the Procore Championship two weeks ago) is a logical choice due to its narrow fairways yet forgiving rough. Other Ross designs like Detroit Golf Club and Sedgefield Country Club are comparable due to the undulation of the greens.
In addition to driving distance, strokes gained with the putter on fast Bermudagrass greens is the second most important criterion this week. Scores are consistently in the high teens to low twenties, so this event can turn into a putting contest at times.
Let's dive into this week's power rankings.