Sanderson Farms Championship Each-Way Tips: Make it Mullinax

Main Bet: Trey Mullinax each-way @ 41.040/1

With tournament history showing back-to-back wins for a bomber, Cameron Champ, and a nudger, Ryan Armour, it's fair to say that no one type of player excels above another at the Country Club of Jackson.

In addition, focusing just on winners' stats can be misleading at the par 72.

For example, Sam Burns was only 57th in Strokes Gained: Putting when winning last year. Does that mean putting isn't important? Far from it. The next six on the leaderboard 12 months ago ranked 1st, 8th, 6th, 29th, 7th and 9th.

Burns was superb from tee-to-green and would have won far more easily had he putted reasonably well too.

Compared to PGA Tour average, putting always seems to be of most importance here so that's an obvious area to lean on.

Champ makes that an easier sell than Burns having finished 2nd for SG: Putting when lifting the silverware in 2018.

Starting from 2014, winning scores read: -16, -18, -20, -19, -21, -18, -19 and -22. Last year seven players shot 20-under or better.

The upshot, of course, is that birdie-makers enjoy this test and most of those are made on the four long holes so Par 5 Scoring is another key.

One other factor is the weather and it will push 90 degrees at times this week and the humidity will be high. Those familiar with playing on Bermuda grass in hot conditions may have a slight edge

Take all that into account and my first pick is Trey Mullinax.

The 30-year-old was born and raised in Alabama and went to college there too. The sigificance of that? It's a neighbouring state of Mississippi, where we are this week, so Mullinax will have an immediate level of comfort.

It took a while for that to be of use, basically because Mullinax wasn't the player he is now.

But last year he fired 70-66-64-68 to finish in fourth spot, just two shots behind winner Burns.

Asked last year if it was a help having local knowledge of courses similar to this, he replied: "A hundred percent. Growing up in this kind of rough, these greens, I really enjoy them. These greens are, I mean, heck, they're some of the best we play all year, they're top five for sure."

Looking at some of his relevant stats last season, Mullinax was 26th in Birdie Average and 32nd in Par 5 Scoring Average so that provides more logic as to why he would do well here.

Mullinax ended last season in great shape after securing a first PGA Tour win when landing the Barbasol Championship in July. That came with a score of -25 to show he can be top dog in a birdie shootout (he also won with -23 on the Korn Ferry in 2020).

He followed that victory with fifth in the St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind - another Bermuda course in the south east - and 12th in the BMW Championship.

While his overall putting stats aren't great, Mullinax was seventh for SG: Putting on these greens last year and I'm happy to see his MC at the Fortinet two weeks ago as a rust remover.

Back the local-ish man at 40/1.

Next Best: Mark Hubbard each-way @ 101.0100/1

I put up Mark Hubbard at 80/1 in the Fortinet Championship two weeks ago and am happy to go back in: this time at a three-figure price.

Hubbard gave us a decent run in California, firing a Saturday 67 to lie ninth with 18 holes to play. It wasn't to be on Sunday but tied 21st was a decent knock.

A big reason for getting him onside was a July run that produced 13th at the John Deere, third at the Barbasol and 4th at the Barracuda.

The reason for his inflated odds this week will be down to course form of 51-54-MC-MC, the first two coming in 2014 and 2015, the latter pair in 2019 and 2020.

But there are no great secrets to playing this track well and Mullinax had course form of 73-57-WD-MC before his fourth place last year.

In theory, Hubbard has the tools to do well here.

The 33-year-old is a short hitter but ranked 14th in Par 5 Scoring last season to show that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

He's been 50th and 52nd in SG: Putting over the last two seasons and was 14th for SGP at the Fortinet on his latest start so rolls his rock well.

Hubbard makes plenty of birdies too- he drained 23 at both the Barbasol and Barracuda - and with home now in Texas he'll be happy playing a Bermuda course in the heat.

Next Best: Andrew Putnam each-way @ 81.080/1

Finally, I'll close with another player who hasn't really made a mark at the Country Club of Jackson... yet.

Andrew Putnam doesn't exactly have a poor record having made three of his four cuts and he was in the top 20 after day one each time.

But what makes me think he could get really into the mix in 2022?

Putnam ranked 38th in Strokes Gained: Putting last season and was one of the best with the flatstick in hand at the close of the campaign.

Looking at his numbers, the American was 5th for SGP at the 3M Open, 11th at the St Jude Championship and 3rd at the BMW Championship.

His performance at St Jude is of particular interest given the similar conditions. Putnam putted well on the Bermuda greens and was also sharp around them. That helped him finish in a tie for fifth at a tournament that concluded only last month.

Putnam's one PGA Tour win came in an event, the Barracuda, based on making birdies (modified stableford scoring system) and he fired 64s at both the 3M Open and the Wyndham towards the back end of last season.

Take the 80/1.

Davis Riley is a Mississippi local so will have his supporters although he's not done much of late for a 28/1 shot.

Is this the week when Sahith Theegala gets a first win? Maybe, but 18/1 looks short.

Sam Burns, the 9/1 favourite, has already defended a title in his short career and played far better than his points tally at the Presidents Cup suggested.

But I prefer to look further down the odds in a tournament that has thrown up some big-priced winners.