SAM Ryder played a bogey-free round and Danny Walker closed with back-to-back birdies as both carded seven-under-par 65s to share the lead in a four-way tie after Thursday’s (Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, PH time) opening round of the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi.
Joining them at the top were Eric Cole, who offset a late double bogey from the trees with 10 birdies, and Garrick Higgo, who continues to find his form after a torn labrum slowed his progress earlier this year.
Ryder entered the week at No. 110 in the FedExCup standings, while Walker sits at No. 104. The tournament is part of the PGA Tour’s Fall Series, in which players outside the top 70 from the regular season must finish inside the top 100 to keep their full playing privileges.
“I’m very aware of where I’m at. You know it all year,” Ryder said. “You get a text every single week that tells you exactly where you are on FedEx. You can’t hide from it. But it doesn’t dictate my schedule. If I was in a better position I’d still like to think I’d be working hard on my game and trying to win and check other boxes.
“Right now I’m trying to play for my status but still for bigger goals, too,” he added.
Walker, who tied for sixth at The Players Championship earlier this year, arrived at the Country Club of Jackson having missed eight consecutive cuts that dropped him out of the top 100.
After a soft bogey on the par-3 15th, he responded with two straight birdies to finish strong. Like Ryder, he’s trying to focus on his game rather than leaderboard pressure.
“It’s really hard when you’ve missed a bunch of cuts to not go into a week and all you’re thinking about is hoping you make the cut,” Walker said. “When all you’re thinking about is results … it really got in my head, and I felt like going into this week I finally got to a place where I just wasn’t really worried about that.”
He credited two weeks off during the Ryder Cup break for helping him reset and regain trust in his game.
NCAA champion Michael La Sasso was in contention early until a two-stroke penalty was assessed after his par at the sixth hole. The PGA Tour cited a violation of Rule 8.1a for improving the conditions of his shot. A tour official said La Sasso, competing on a sponsor exemption, declined to speak to the media.
Mac Meissner, at No. 86 in the FedExCup standings, and defending champion Kevin Yu were one shot back after opening with 66s. Yu’s win here last year earned him a Masters berth, though Fall Series champions no longer receive automatic invitations to Augusta National.
Rasmus Hojgaard, coming off Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph in New York, shot 69. Ranked No. 87, he now turns his attention to retaining his PGA Tour card.
“Still a bit low on energy, so I’m going to manage myself the next couple days and hopefully restore some of it,” Hojgaard said. / FROM THE WIRES