The Ryder Cup might be in the rearview mirror, but the name Ryder is on top of a PGA Tour leaderboard.
Sam Ryder shot a bogey-free, 7-under-par 65 to open the Sanderson Farms Championship and is part of a four-way tie for the lead Thursday at the Country Club of Jackson (Mississippi).
Eric Cole, Danny Walker and South African Garrick Higgo are also at 65 after the first round. Amateur Michael La Sasso, the NCAA individual champion from Ole Miss, is tied for 13th at 4-under 68.
Max Homa is part of a large tie for fifth after he opened with a 5-under 67.
Following the Ryder Cup last week, the PGA Tour resumed its FedEx Cup Fall series to determine the top 100 players who will retain full tour cards for 2026. Walker (No. 104) and Ryder (No. 110) were among the players who entered this week outside the top 100.
The top 50 players at the end of last season are locked in for all signature events in 2026. Those who finish the fall Nos. 51-60 will qualify for the first two signature events of 2026.
There were two holes-in-one Thursday, both at the 183-yard fourth hole. Matt Kuchar rolled one in during his 4-under round of 68 after Denmark’s Niklas Norgaard holed one on his way to shooting even-par 72.
