Favorites paid off in the opening event of the 2022/23 PGA season as Max Homa defended last year’s Fortinet Championship by going back-to-back in Napa. We could very well see that trend continue after a week off for the Presidents Cup, as the Tour heads to the Country Club of Jackson for the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Here are the players at the top of the Sanderson Farms Championship odds sheet:
Sam Burns +1000
Sam Burns will try to emulate his Presidents Cup teammate Homa by defending a win from a year ago. Burns shot a -5 last year in Jackson to pick up a one-stroke win (-22) over Nick Watney and Cameron Young.
Burns went on to win three events last year, and he’s up to #12 in the OWGR playing in his first Tour event of the new season. Burns is a hit-or-miss play this weekend though, as he could easily be a bit emotionally drained after being part of the winning Presidents Cup team over the past weekend in Quail Hollow.
Burns was 0-3-2 in the Presidents Cup, but some of that record was due to his early foursome partner Scottie Scheffler (0-3-1) uncharacteristically struggling. Burns played much better golf than his record indicates.
Sahith Theegala +2000
Sahith Theegala is ready to make big strides this season, and he’s already gotten off to a solid start with a T6 in the opener at the Fortinet Championship. Theegala was sixth in yards/drive in that event (317.1) and third in PP GIR.
Theegala also has experience at the Country Club of Jackson, with an eighth-place finish in this event a year ago. He had the 54-hole lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship a year ago, and looked poised for his first Tour win until a harsh back nine. Theegala still led each of the first three rounds in what was just his second start as a full-time Tour member.
Russell Henley +2200
While it wasn’t the Presidents Cup, Russell Henley did get some golf in last week at the Five Star Kevin Brown Russell Henley Celebrity Classic in his hometown of Macon. Now Henley is ready to tee it up on the Tour for the first time this season, but he’s somewhat of a surprising third-highest Sanderson Farms Championship Favorite. Henley missed the cut at the St. Jude’s Championship and was 35th at the BMW Championship to close out last year, and now hasn’t picked up a win since 2013.
Denny McCarthy +2500
Denny McCarthy was in striking distance of his first Tour win last year at the Sanderson Farms Championship, opening up with a 69-65-65 before a 73 on Sunday pushed him all the way back to T17. The 73 broke a streak of 15 straight rounds under par at the Country Club of Jackson, and his 69.06 stroke average over the last five seasons at this course is the third best on Tour.
McCarthy went on to have a solid 2021/22, including being within striking distance with a T7 at the U.S. Open.
