David Skinns fired a 12-under, bogey-free 60 to take a three-shot lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Thursday. He had a chance at a 59 but missed his birdie putt at the final hole.
“I had it about probably a ball outside the cup. If I could do it again I’d have it a cup outside. But yeah, just broke way more than I thought. I thought it was more downgrain than across the grain. That’s kind of this golf course. Sometimes the grain is a little different to what you think. Just so happened that that was for a 59. But there were a lot out there that I got right, so I’m going to focus on the ones that I got right.
“It’s hard not to be a little bit disappointed because how many nine-footers are you going to get to shoot 59? I’m sure I’m not going to get many,” said the Englishman. “Tough not to be a little bit disappointed, but I really want to just look back on how kind of in control mentally I felt, how I kept attacking. Wasn’t really thinking about the future at all, which is kind of the thing I’m going to take away from today.
Skinns set a new 18-hole tournament scoring record and recorded a career-low 60, besting his previous low score by two shots (R1/2024 RBC Canadian Open/).
“Great to see a couple go in that maybe some days don’t,” said Skinns. “Just kind of catapulted, and I was able to keep the momentum going, which is what I was most pleased about, and I never really thought about the score too much, just where I was going to hit the next shot.”
American Michael Thorbjornsen tied his career-low round with a 9-under, bogey-free 63.
Ben Griffin made an eagle at the par-5 5th to close with a bogey-free 64 and a share of third place at 8-under alongside an equally bogey-free Gary Woodland.
Defending champion Luke List (T73) opened with a 70 in his bid to become the first player to successfully defended a Sanderson Farms Championship title. Two players have won the event twice: Fred Funk (1998, 2004) and Brian Henninger (1994, 1999).
Related: Fichardt opens with brilliant 61
The 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship is the second event of the FedExCup Fall, a group of eight tournaments played after the Tour Championship that finalizes eligibility for the 2025 PGA TOUR Season.
Nos. 1-50 in the FedExCup standings through the Tour Championship are locked in their positions, while Nos. 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points into the Fall. Nos. 51-60 through the FedExCup Fall will qualify for two Signature Events in 2025 (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational).
Currently projected to move into Nos. 51-60: Ben Griffin (T3; from No. 61 to No. 54).
Currently projected to fall out of Nos. 51-60: Min Woo Lee (not in field; from No. 60 to No. 61).
The Top 125 will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players next season and Nos. 126-150 will earn full Korn Ferry Tour status and conditional status on Tour.
Currently projected to move into the Top 125: Michael Thorbjornsen (2nd; from No. 134 to No. 88), Gary Woodland (T3; from No. 157 to No. 122), Hayden Springer (T14; from No. 127 to No. 123).
Currently projected to fall out of the Top 125: Dylan Wu (T54; from No. 122 to No. 126), Pierceson Coody (T107; from No. 121 to No. 127), Matti Schmid (T73; from No. 125 to No. 131).
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