Sanderson Farms Championship leaderboard: 3 things to know after Thursday’s first round

After a rocking weekend like no other at Whistling Straits, where Team USA laid claim to the 43rd Ryder Cup in dominant fashion, the PGA Tour returned to its regularly scheduled programming with the second event of the new season, the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi. Here’s what you missed from Round 1.

A PGA Tour rookie leads the charge

Twenty-three year old PGA Tour rookie Sahith Theegala fired a sizzling, bogey-free round of eight-under 64 on Thursday to lead the field by one shot heading into the second round. The native Californian played only his fifth round ever on Thursday as a PGA-Tour cardholder, after securing his 2022 status via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, which concluded with the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in September.

Theegala graduated from Pepperdine last year, and is making his second appearance at the Sanderson Farms Championship, after playing on a sponsor’s exemption last year.

How’d the big names play?

Sergio Garcia, fresh off his 3-1-0 Ryder Cup performance, could probably use a long nap. But he’s the defending champion this week, and fired a respectable opening round of two-under 70.

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Other notables in contention include U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland (-5), Nick Watney (-7), Harold Varner III (-7), Si Woo Kim (-6), Adam Hadwin (-5), Sungjae Im (-5), Corey Connors (-5) and Lucas Glover (-5), all of who are within three shots of the lead. Matthew Wolff (-4) and Will Zalatoris (-2) and four and six shots behind, respectively.

Must watch: This buttery bunker shot

Sometimes, Tour pros hit shots that make the line between themselves and us regular recreational players look about a mile long. This is one of them.

Behold, Chesson Hadley’s elegant brush in the greenside bunker. Is that smooth or what?

Hadley holed the shot for birdie on the par-4 15th, en route to an opening round of three-under 69. Yep, these guys are good indeed.