2024 Sanderson Farms Championship: Top 10 power rankings

4) Maverick McNealy

McNealy is a guy who I have touted to break through for a while now. With eight top-20 finishes in 2024, his resume is quietly impressive. He ranks 15th on Tour in total strokes gained, ahead of guys like Russell Henley, Corey Conners, and Viktor Hovland.

Unfortunately for McNealy, high finishes don't get you recognized in the golf world -- success is measured in wins.

The Stanford grad inexplicably flopped at the Procore Championship, the fall's first event, with his worst performance of the season. There is no doubt he is volatile, but his top end is sky-high.

He is still awaiting that big moment. Perhaps it comes this week.

3) J.J. Spaun

Whatever Kool-Aid Spaun drank after the RBC Canadian Open -- he should probably keep drinking it.

Spaun has rattled off three top tens in his last seven events, following a period in which he had missed ten out of fifteen cuts. All facets of his game are dialed in but especially the irons. He has gained strokes on approach shots in six consecutive starts. March Spaun wouldn't believe such a thing was possible.

He currently sits at 100th in the standings. A T26 in Napa was a solid start in what many believe will be a successful fall.