The Sanderson Farms Championship has returned to Jackson, Mississippi. The annual tournament is scheduled to run from October 2 to 8. With defending champion Mackenzie Hughes returning to fight for his trophy, former champions Scott Stallings, D. J. Trahan, Chad Campbell, Ryan Armour, and Cameron Champ are competing to win it once again.

The 144-field players are ready to rumble and give it their all. But only one will come out victorious. This is the 10th year of the championship on the Sanderson farms. We present you with five of our contenders who are most likely to grab a win this week, as per us.

Who is likely to win the Sanderson Farms Championship in 2023?

The Sanderson Farms Championship has always been the place where many players took home their first PGA Tour win. And although this may not be their first, here are the five power-ranking players that we think have a good shot at taking home the trophy and whopping cash prize:

1. Ludvig Aberg: 

Ludvig Aberg made his debut in 2023 and, since then, has proved his extraordinary skills. In his first appearance at the Ryder Cup last week, he scored 2-2-0. He had his first major win at the Omega European Masters. In his debut event earlier this year, Aberg shared the 25th position. The Swedish pro came in 4th at the John Deere Classic and ended up at 10th when playing BMW PGA Championship. His record is a testament to why he is at the top of this list.

2. Emiliano Grillo:

Emiliano Grillo is the only one of the top 50 players in the world participating in the championship. He holds the 35th rank in the Official World Golf Ranking. In the 2022–23 season, he had six top-ten finishes and won the Charles Schwab Challenge. He even placed 6th at the Open Championship and finished at T10 at the 3M Open. His consistent performance and sheer hard work can win him the Sanderson Championship this year.

3. Eric Cole

Eric Cole has had the most consistent 2023 season. Cole held the 4th position at the Fortinet Championship and came in 14th at the Wyndham Championship. He has proved himself time and again. Finishing at T6 at the RBC Canadian Open and consistently coming in the top 30 throughout different tournaments, Cole can have his first PGA Tour win this year. The closest he has come to winning was at the Honda Classic in February, where he placed second.

4. Akshay Bhatia: 

Akshay Bhatia is making his second appearance at the Sanderson Farms Championship after missing the cut in 2019. He won his first-ever PGA Tour win at the Barracuda Championship just 3 months ago. His 2022–23 season had four top-10s and six top-25s. Coming in 19th in strokes gained per round, he can make the putt in fewer strokes and claim the cup in his name.

5. Lee Hodges:

Lee Hodges had his first PGA Tour victory at the 3M Open in July 2023. With three top-10s and nine top-25s in the 2022–23 season, Hodges has had consistent play. He has made three appearances at the Jackson Country Club, previously taking T45 (2021) and T30 in 2022. Although the season was not as eventful as Hodges expected, he still holds the 53rd rank on the OWGR, and this win may push him to be in the top 50.

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The defending champion: Mackenzie Hughes

Mackenzie Hughes is also back at the Country Club of Jackson to defend his title. Last year, he won by defeating Sepp Straka and had a scoreline of 71-63-68-69. He had finished nine times in the top-30, including the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. Although not part of the power rankings, Hughes will undoubtedly fight tooth and nail to keep the cup.

Prize money and other details of the Championship

The Country Club of Jackson has held the championship for the past 10 years at its par 72, 7,461-yard course. This year, the purse for the event is a whopping $8.2 million, of which the winner will get $1.476 million. Furthermore, the winner will also get 500 FedExCup points, a two-year exemption, and spots in The Players, the Sentry, and other majors.

Starting on the 2nd of October at the Country Club of Jackson, the first three days will have Pro-Am sessions, and they’ll be closed to the public. From October 4th, the gates will be open to the public, and the tee times for the first two rounds will be at 7 a.m. The third and final round will begin at 8 a.m. (time based on ET)

The tickets are free for kids 17 and under, military personnel, and first responders. There are two types of tickets: daily ground tickets and fan pavilions.

For the dedicated fans at home, the match will be live-streamed on FuboTV, and the Golf Channel will broadcast it during Eastern time. For the details on the radio, fans can even tune in to Sirius XM PGA Tour.

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