Following Team United States’ ninth consecutive win at the Presidents Cup, the 2023 PGA TOUR season resumes this week with the Sanderson Farms Championship. Finishing at -22, Sam Burns won this event last season, and this week marks the ninth year in row the Country Club of Jackson (par 72, 7,461 yards, Bermuda greens) has hosted the Sanderson Farms Championship.
The CC of Jackson is a very scoreable par 72, which has been dominated by elite ball-strikers over the last few years. Burns and 2020 champion Sergio Garcia impressively both led their fields in SGT2G and SG OTT. Furthermore, they both finished inside the top three in SG APP. While both long and short hitters can succeed at the CC of Jackson, bombers have had a clear edge in recent years, with three of the past four Sanderson Farms victors concluding the tournament top 10 in driving distance.
Like most par 72s, the four par fives at the CC of Jackson are without a doubt the most critical holes, with five winners in a row at this track ranking top 10 in par five efficiency for the week. Another range of hole we need to focus on this week is 400-450-yard par 4s, given six of the 10 par 4s at the CC of Jackson fall in this category. Before Burns last year, four straight Sanderson Farms champions ranked in the top eight in 400-450-yard par 4 efficiency during their victories.
In his title defense, Burns is the highest ranked player competing this week, currently ranking 12th in the world. In fact, the 26-year-old is the only top 50 ranked player teeing it up. Given the lack of talent Burns is going against, he is heavily favored to win the Sanderson Farms Championship for the second straight year, carrying field-best outright odds of +1100 on DraftKings Sportsbook. There will be a top-65 and ties cut for this full field following the first 36 holes.
Below, I break down my top four sub-$7.5K DraftKings value plays for Sanderson Farms Championship.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $300K Pitch + Putt [$100K to 1st]
Byeong Hun An ($7,400) – After a one-year stint on the Korn Ferry Tour, An made his return to the PGA TOUR at the Fortinet Championship two weeks ago and carded a T4 finish. The 31-year-old has made a career behind some stellar ball striking, and he certainly impressed in that department at Silverado CC, ranking top three in STG2G, SG OTT and driving distance for the week.
An has now shot under par in 13 of his last 16 competitive rounds and has excelled at the CC of Jackson in the past, posting a T3 finish in 2019. Considering An’s low price tag and that he shouldn’t come with much ownership given his one-year hiatus from the PGA TOUR, the Berkeley product is a very sharp target for GPPs.
Henrik Norlander ($7,200) – Norlander is coming off a missed cut at the Fortinet Championship, but there is plenty of reason to expect a rebound performance. First off, Norlander has never fared well at Silverado CC, only making one cut in four tries. Prior to the mishap in Napa, the 35-year-old had advanced to the weekend in three of his previous four starts.
More importantly, Norlander has been exceptional at the CC of Jackson, finishing T4th at last two editions of the Sanderson Farms Championship. Overall, he boasts a 4-for-5 made cuts record at the CC of Jackson and ranks ninth in total strokes gained when we compare this field’s histories at the par 72. With him likely garnering minimal ownership after the MC at the Fortinet Championship, Norlander is a superb contrarian option.
Stephan Jaeger ($7,200) – Without a doubt, Jaegar is one of the best values on the board at this low salary. He has proceeded through the cut in two of his last three appearances at the CC of Jackson, both of which were top-30 results. As for his current form, Jaeger has made six cuts and tallied four top-30 finishes across his last eight starts.
Specifically, Jaegar has been an outstanding par five player, leading this field in SG on par fives when we compare all these players’ past 24 rounds. Also during this time frame, the 33-year-old’s ball striking has been top notch, ranking fifth in both SGT2G and SG APP. In addition to being a stand out value for DFS, Jaeger is an enticing bet for a top-20 finish at +330 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Hayden Buckley ($7,000) – At the CC of Jackson last season, Buckley led the field in scoring on the par fives, en route to a T4 finish. Before the missed weekend at the Fortinet Championship two weeks ago, the 26-year-old had made seven cuts in a row, which is a run that included four top-30 finishes, most notably with a T14 at the U.S. Open. Gaining strokes OTT in 14 consecutive starts, Buckley’s driving has been impeccable, and he should bounce back with a quality finish this weekend in Jackson.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $300K Pitch + Putt [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.