The Sanderson Farms Championship boasts one of the sport’s more distinctive trophies in its Golden Rooster. The tournament will have something else to crow about this fall.
On Tuesday Sanderson Farms officials, along with the PGA Tour, announced the Jackson-based event has graduated from its alternate status—it’s been opposite the WGC-HSBC in recent years, along with the Open Championship and Ryder and Presidents Cups—to become a stand-alone competition for the 2019-’20 season.
“We would like to thank Joe Sanderson and Sanderson Farms for their continued commitment to Mississippi’s PGA Tour event,” said Andy Pazder, PGA Tour chief competitions and tournaments officer. “The partnership between the PGA Tour and the Sanderson Farms Championship is unique in that Joe Sanderson has been selfless with his intentions for the tournament and the State of Mississippi. Because of Joe’s vision for growing the state’s largest professional sporting event, this stand-alone date will further elevate the tournament’s stature and provide an even better experience for fans attending the Sanderson Farms Championship.”
The upgrade means the Sanderson Farms winner will receive an invitation to the Masters—an honor it has historically lacked—as well as offer full FedExCup points. The purse will move from $4.4 million to $6.6 million, with $1.19 million tabbed for the victor.
The Sanderson served as the breakthrough for fledgling star Cam Champ last fall, the 23-year-old winning his first PGA Tour event in just his ninth career tour start. The 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship will begin on Sept. 19 and held at the Country Club of Jackson.
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