FedExCup Fall update: Henrik Norlander, Ben Griffin among biggest movers from Sanderson Farms Championship

With one Swede making the headlines last week in Rome, Italy, at the Ryder Cup, there were two this time around in Jackson, Mississippi. Henrik Norlander, the 26-year-old from Danderyd, Sweden, pushed hard at the Sanderson Farms Championship, along with his fellow countryman Ludvig Åberg. Both were hoping for a first PGA TOUR victory but ultimately fell short in a five-man playoff, won by Luke List at the Country Club of Jackson. Yet, the T2 finish in the Magnolia state helped position Norlander inside the top 125 for the FedExCup Fall.

Norlander jumped from No. 142 to 120th in the FedExCup Fall standings despite a buckle down the final stretch that looked like it could fault his chances of making it in the 125. A fortuitous bounce at the par-4 17th, directing an errant drive back into the fairway, put him back on track as he finished par-par to make up the quintet of players at 18 under.

Norlander is part of the many Scandinavian players with good form on the PGA TOUR. Norwegian Viktor Hovland claimed this year’s FedExCup and fellow Swede Vincent Norrman won the Barbasol Championship earlier in the year. Åberg is still searching for his first TOUR title but earned his first professional victory on the DP World Tour at the Omega European Masters.

Signature Event watch

Ben Griffin led entering the final round at the Sanderson Farms, and he had a putt on the 72nd to earn him his first PGA TOUR victory. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. The T2 finish in Mississippi, however, did vault him into the top spot for the current FedExCup Fall standings. Griffin sees himself at No. 51 and the first person in the Next 10. Those ranked from Nos. 51-60 after The RSM Classic earn spots into two Signature Events early next year, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational.

Once a mortgage loan officer, Griffin finished 62nd in the FedExCup standings for the 22-23 FedExCup season and has already clinched top-125 eligibility for the 2024 season. He missed out on making it to the BMW Championship and securing a spot in next year's Signature Events. Griffin came close to winning last year during the fall with a T3 finish at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He held the 54-hole lead with eventual leader Seamus Power.

Mark Hubbard also made the move into the Signature Event spots and the Next 10 with a T6 finish at the Sanderson Farms. Rounds of 69-68-67 and 67 had Hubbard finishing one shot off a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson. The San Jose State University alum climbed from 65th to No. 59 on the FedExCup Fall standings. Hubbard finished 67th in the 2022-23 FedExCup standings.

Other movers …

Luke List moves from 119 to 61 with the win. Although he was already exempt next season thanks to his win at the Farmers Insurance Open, List can play his way into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational.

Scott Stallings jumped 32 positions in the FedExCup Fall from 130th to 98th. Stallings is another who is exempt through 2024, but like List, he's playing to try and qualify for the first two Signature Events after The Sentry.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who started the week at No. 112, moved up 20 spots to 92. The tall South African, who played on the 2022 International Team at the Presidents Cup, solidified his position in the top 125.

Erik van Rooyen moved into the 125th spot with a T16 finish at Sanderson Farms and currently holds the final TOUR card on offer through the FedExCup Fall.