Monday qualifiers: Sanderson Farms Championship
3 Min Read
The closing hole on the front nine appears to be straight, yet your target is just right of the left fairway bunker. Your second shot into the green plays a half a club uphill. More times than not, an approach shot falls short on this hole into the front greenside bunker. The hardest hole location on the green is front left as this hole location produces one of the fastest putts on the course.
The 2023 PGA TOUR calendar continues with the Sanderson Farms Championship, contested at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi, the second event of the reimagined FedExCup Fall. The top 70 on the FedExCup standings (those who qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs) have secured their 2024 PGA TOUR status, while others will jockey for all-important top-125 eligibility across the seven-event FedExCup Fall.
The Sanderson Farms Championship offered a chance for non-members and dreamers to play their way into the field at the Country Club of Jackson via Monday's four-spot open qualifier, held at Deerfield Golf Club in Canton, Mississippi.
Brett White carded an 8-under 64 to secure a one-shot victory over Chase Parker (65) and the pair both booked a tee time in Jackson. Chris Baker and Zach Fischer both shot 6-under 66 to earn the final two spots in the field.
Click here for all scores from the Sanderson Farms Championship's Monday qualifier, contested at Deerfield Golf Club in Canton, Mississippi.
Here's a capsule look at the four Sanderson Farms Championship qualifiers:
Brett White (8-under 64)
Age: 30
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Alma mater: Eastern Michigan University
PGA TOUR starts: 1
Cuts made: 0
Notes: White carded just one bogey (at No. 9), five birdies and two eagles en route to medalist honors on Monday at Deerfield Golf Club. This marks his second PGA TOUR start ever after he made his TOUR debut in February at the WM Phoenix Open, for which he also Monday qualified. White has also made four starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, finishing T43 at The Ascendant presented by Blue in July for his only made cut.
Chase Parker (7-under 65)
Age: 32
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
Alma mater: University of Kentucky
PGA TOUR starts: 2
Cuts made: 1
Notes: Parker made eight birdies and one lone bogey Monday at Deerfield Golf Club to secure his spot in his third-ever PGA TOUR event and first since the 2015-16 season. That season, he made his TOUR debut at the 2016 U.S. Open, where he finished 64th. This season, he’s made 20 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he’s made five cuts and posted one top 10 (a T7 at the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX in June).
Chris Baker (6-under 66)
Age: 37
Hometown: Seymour, Indiana
Alma mater: Iowa State University
PGA TOUR starts: 40
Cuts made: 18
Notes: Baker went blemish-free through 17 holes Monday before finishing with a bogey at 18 at Deerfield Golf Club. This week will mark Baker’s first PGA TOUR start since the 2020-21 season, when he made nine cuts in 22 starts. He’s made seven starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season with two made cuts, finishing T42 at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay and T14 at The Panama Championship.
Zach Fischer (6-under 66)
Age: 34
Hometown: Texarkana, Texas
Alma mater: University of Texas-Arlington
PGA TOUR starts: 9
Cuts made: 4
Notes: Fischer birdied four of his first five holes Monday at Deerfield Golf Club before a bogey at No. 8 temporarily quelled the momentum. But he picked it back up after the turn with three more birdies to secure the final spot of the day. Fischer has made two PGA TOUR starts this season, finishing T47 at the Cadence Bank Houston Open last November and 76th at The Open Championship in July. He’s also made 22 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, making eight cuts with three top-25 finishes including a T10 at the Veritex Bank Championship in April.