Sanderson Farms Championship Friday recap where Garrick Higgo leads, Taylor Montgomery went low

Garrick Higgo lines up his shot on the 5th green during the first round of the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Miss., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.

There are two days in the books at the Country Club of Jackson, host of this week's PGA Tour stop, the lone Tour stop in the state of Mississippi.

Get caught up right here with all that went down Friday at the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship.

Sanderson Farms Championship 2025 leaderboard

Keep tabs on the Sanderson Farms Championship 2025 leaderboard all week. Here's what the top of the board looks like at the end of the second round.

Taylor Montgomery shoots 63, posts low round of the week

Montgomery was playing late in the afternoon wave and shot 9-under 63, the best round of the week. He's now at 12 under, tied with Eric Cole for second and just a shot back of the lead of Garrick Higgo.

"It was nice to make a lot of birdies and play the way that I feel like I know I can but don't always do," he said after his round. "I haven't played that bad this year if you look at it. I think I'm 20th in scoring average on Tour but 150th in points, so just haven't had a really good, solid week to get a lot of points. I've been finishing a lot of like 30th to 50th and that's never going to get it done."

He technically started the week 147th but he's shot up to 93rd, a climb of 54 spots. The top 100 finishers in the FedEx points after the Fall series get their 2026 PGA Tour card and Montgomery is making a serious run at it.

Eric Cole shoots 12 under and is one back of lead

Cole, one of the four first-round leaders at 7 under, is now solo second at 12 under after a Friday 67. He sits one back of Garrick Higgo.

What's the cut going to be at the 2025 Sanderson Farms

As we approach 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, the projected cut line is 3 under at Jackson Country Club. Zach Johnson, Rafael Campos and Brandt Snedeker are among those exactly on the cut line.

Meanwhile, among those sitting at 2 under are Joel Dahmen, Patton Kizzire, Hayden Springer, Max McGreevy, Mackenzie Hughes and Keith Mitchell. Some of those guys are still on the course but they have some work to do because datagolf.com is actually projecting a 95 percent chance the cut ends up at 4 under.

7:45 p.m. ET update: The cut came in at 4 under and there were several big names who are going to miss the weekend.

David Ford will make just second cut as PGA Tour pro

Ford, who earned PGA Tour membership in May via the PGA Tour U program, is making his ninth start since leaving college. He missed the cut in seven of the first eight events and finished solo 75th in the one tournament where he did make the cut.

So this week's 9-under start through 36 holes, which had him tied for fourth when he signed his card, is easily his best performance on Tour. He's posted scores of 68 and 67 and he closed his Friday round, which ended up on the front nine, with consecutive birdies.

Garrick Higgo signs for 66, talks about revamped swing

The left-handed South African, already a winner on the PGA Tour this season at the Corales Puntacana Championship, was in the morning wave Friday and shot a 6-under 66. He's at 13 under overall and was leading by three shots when he signed his card and is sitting in a good spot heading to the weekend at the Country Club of Jackson.

Higgo talked after his round about his revamped swing, something that came about after working with Sean Foley.

"We started the week of Colonial in 2023. It wasn't fun. I obviously played terrible last year," Higgo said. "If you look at how I used to swing it till now, it's completely different. That whole time frame, it's tough to play competitive. It's tough to play, compete when you're on your best, never mind when you're changing things."

Higgo also recently played a competitive round with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler on the Sunda of the Procore Championship, an event that Scheffler won.

"I learned a lot. I couldn't tell you how much I learned, but I learned so much just by watching," Higgo said. "He's an inspiration for all of us. He's set the bar so high. It's just phenomenal how high his skill level is. Obviously he's got a great mind too, but it's just amazing how good he hits the golf ball, and he's putting great, and he chips great."

Will Gordon holes out from fairway for eagle

On the 12th hole Friday, Will Gordon sent his second shot flying and after it carried a lake, it landly softly on the green and from there, slowly rolled into the cup for an eagle 2. Gordon, who's been playing on a medical exemption, needs to crack the top 100 to keep his PGA Tour card. He was 142nd when the week started at the Sanderson Farms.

Projected cutline update

As of 10 a.m. ET, the projected cutline from the PGA Tour is 2 under, but there's a good chance that goes even lower throughout the day.

As of now, those on the wrong side of the cut include Davis Riley (1 under), Joel Dahmen (1 under), Akshay Bhatia (even), Keith Mitchell (even) and Mackenzie Hughes (1 over).

Four-way tie for lead, eight-way tie for second

It was a crowded leaderboard after 18 holes. Garrick Higgo and Danny Walker made it a four-way tie for the lead after their afternoon 65s, which matched the morning 65s of Eric Cole and Sam Ryder.

There was a huge block of golfers two shots back at 5 under, including fan favorite Max Homa and defending champion Kevin Yu, and then a massive 21-way tie for 13th at 4 under. That group included Ole Miss Michael La Sasso, the 2025 NCAA individual national champion.

There are 34 golfers within three shots of the lead and there's 87 golfers under par.

What is the weather forecast for Friday?

Garrick Higgo says he almost had surgery

After posting an opening round 65, Garrick Higgo said he nearly had surgery on a torn labrum, but he thinks he can now avoid the procedure. Higgo, who won the Corales Puntacana Championship back in April, nearly had the surgery done a couple months ago, but has rebounded and finished T-7 at the Procore Championship.

"It feels good. I'm trying to stay injury-free. It seems like I get a few niggles, I won't have to do surgery," he said. "I was scheduled to have surgery Wyndham week. I think I'll be fine. My wrist is good. I'm doing everything I can to be healthy."

"Where to watch, follow the Sanderson Farms Championship

Golf Channel, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+, the NBC Sports app and SiriusXM Radio are teaming up for the coverage.

Friday, Oct. 2

• Second round, 8 a.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+
• Second round, 1 p.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET, SiriusXM Radio
• Second round, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Golf Channel, NBC Sports app

Watch Golf Channel for free on Fubo

Watch PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

What is happening with the title sponsorship of the Sanderson Farms Championship?

As the 13th and final year of sponsorship for Wayne Sanderson Farms at Mississippi's only PGA Tour event is nearing an end, there is no better way to find a new sponsor than to show off at this year's tournament. However, if the tournament cannot find a new sponsor in the next couple of months, Mississippi's run of having a PGA Tour stop since 1968 could possibly come to an end. Wayne Sanderson Farms' run as a full partner with Jackson and its PGA tournament has been a historic one. It has been the title sponsor since 2013. ‒ Ross Reily, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

What are the hole locations for the second round?

Here's a look at the holes for the second round of action.

What's the prize money payouts at the Sanderson Farms Championship?

There is a $6 million total purse with a first-place prize of $1.08 million going to the winner. Full FedEx Cup points are on the line but there is no longer a Masters invitation available for the winner. Augusta National altered its criteria and no longer awards a trip down Magnolia Lane to winners of the PGA Tour's Fall series events.

Who's the defending champion at the Sanderson Farms Championship?

Kevin Yu won his first PGA Tour event one year ago at this event. He is back to defend. Other recent winners include Luke List (2023), Mackenzie Hughes (2022), Sam Burns (2021) and Sergio Garcia (2020). The complete list of tournament winners dating back to 1968 also includes Cameron Champ, Nick Taylor, Chris Kirk and Luke Donald.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Sanderson Farms Championship Friday recap where Garrick Higgo leads, Taylor Montgomery went low

Reporting by Todd Kelly and Tim Schmitt, Golfweek / Golfweek

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