Odds outlook: First look at betting options for Sanderson Farms Championship

After a two-week break, welcome back to the FedExCup Fall!

The spotlight of the Ryder Cup has faded, and it is back to business on the PGA TOUR. The state of Mississippi has hosted a PGA TOUR event since the late 1960s and continues its proud tradition again this week at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Beginning in 2014, the Country Club of Jackson has handled the hosting duties and will do so for the 10th consecutive season. Stretching to 7,461 yards for the fourth-consecutive event, the par-72 welcomes a field of 144 players, including 2022 champion Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (+5500).

Bermudagrass returns to the menu in the first days of October. Champion greens average 6,200 square feet, while 419 Bermuda is on the fairways and blended with Zoysia to make up the 2-plus inches of rough. While fairways provide difficult targets to hit, recovery shots to the above-average greens give most a chance to putt for birdie. Winning scores here have ranged between 16 under and 22 under during the first nine editions.

During the European celebrations at the Ryder Cup on Sunday night, Shane Lowry asked Ludvig Åberg (+1200) if he was old enough to partake in the victory libations. The 23-year-old is obviously of age, but he’s hardly vintage by professional golf standards. Playing for an NCAA title just last June, the Swedish star-in-the-making has played in 10 events worldwide since turning pro last June. His last four results are all T14 or better and include his first professional win (Omega European Masters). Currently ranked No. 136 in the FedExCup Fall standings, his next step is barreling into the top 125. Another new course, event or part of the world isn’t going to bother him.

The champion at Colonial Country Club (Charles Schwab Challenge) this past May, Emiliano Grillo (+2000) sprinted to the finish line to conclude the regular season and the FedExCup Playoffs. Posting T6 at Royal Liverpool in The Open Championship, the Argentine followed up with T10 at the 3M Open. Cashing T20 to start the FedExCup Playoffs in Memphis (FedEx St. Jude), he played the final two events, including The TOUR Championship. With his status on TOUR secured for 2024, the first order of business this week is improving on his T5 finish here last year.

Eric Cole (+2000) racked up 33 events in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR and finished No. 43 on the FedExCup list. After missing the cut in his first four events to start the season, he's closed with paychecks in his last 11 events. The last five outings have resulted in T31 or better, including beginning the FedExCup Fall with a solo fourth at Fortinet three weeks ago. Making birdies is key this week. Cole ranks No. 1 on TOUR in Total Birdies.

German Stephan Jaeger (+2200) will look to improve on his record of just one top-five finish in 123 TOUR starts. International players have won three of the last four editions of the Sanderson Farms, and he'll look to add to that total. Since moving to the Country Club of Jackson in 2014, six of the nine winners have picked up their first win on TOUR here. Jaeger has made the cut in 27 of 30 events this season. The last time he missed the weekend was at Harbour Town (RBC Heritage) in April. Only Cole circled more birdies in the last calendar year.

Keith Mitchell (+3000) makes his debut in the FedExCup Fall this week. Sitting No. 2 in Total Driving and inside the top 10 in Stokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, the Tennessee native should not mind getting back to business on Bermudagrass. Posting T5 at the 3M Open last July was his fifth top-10 result from 26 starts this season. Mitchell joins Grillo as the only player in the top five selections this week who has previously won on TOUR.

Others to consider (all odds courtesy of BETMGM.COM):

+3300: Beau Hossler, Ben Griffin, Doug Ghim, K.H. Lee, Mark Hubbard, S.H. Kim
+4000: Lucas Herbert, Adam Svensson, Alex Smalley, Lee Hodges, Tom Hoge
+4500: Davis Thompson, Callum Tarren
+5000: Akshay Bhatia, Brandon Wu, Dylan Wu, Garrick Higgo, Greyson Sigg, Sam Ryder
+5500: Alex Noren, Davis Riley, Hayden Buckley, Kevin Streelman, Luke List, Mackenzie Hughes, Nicholas Lindheim, Nick Hardy, Sam Stevens
+6600: Chad Ramey, David Lipsky, Nate Lashley, Carson Young, Chez Reavie, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Peter Malnati, Troy Merritt
+8000: C.T. Pan, Cameron Champ, Chesson Hadley, Erik van Rooyen, Kevin Yu, M.J. Daffue, Martin Laird, Peter Kuest
+9000: Grayson Murray, Matt NeSmith, Scott Stallings, Webb Simpson
+10000: Andrew Novak, Harry Hall, Justin Lower, Robby Shelton, Ryan Palmer, Sam Bennett, Trey Mullinax, Vince Whaley, Will Gordon

How it works:

• Field of 144 players.
• Field cut after 36 holes to top 65 and ties.
• Purse of $8.2 million with the winner taking home $1.476 million, plus 500 FedExCup points.
• The winner is also eligible for The Sentry in January.

Circle back on Tuesday as I post more details in Horses for Courses plus the Betting Stat Pack.

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