JACKSON, Mich. — Garrick Higggo played the ball and took advantage of enough birdie chances at 6-under 66 on Friday to build a one-shot lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship, a fall series event that feels like a fresh start to South Africa.
Higugo drove off three straight birdies late in the round at Country Club of Jackson.
He had nine birdies on a 10-hole stretch, 131 under 131, one shot from Eric Cole (67) and Taylor Montgomery. The exception was bogies. He drilled a 25-foot birdie hole in the final hole of 63 to increase his chances of maintaining a PGA Tour card in 2026.
After the November Fall Series ends, only the top 100 holds the full PGA Tour Card. Five tournaments remain on the schedule.
Cole had 10 birdies in the opening round, offset by a double bogey late in his round. He added seven more birdies on a calm, sunny afternoon, and joined the final round as Cole chased the title of his first PGA Tour.
Danny Walker (68) was two shots behind in a week that was important to him. Walker ranks 104th in the FedEx Cup. Vince Whaley (No. 102 in the ranking) also had 67 more people, and Tom Kim (No. 99) saved pars from the bunker on the 18th.
“I made a lot of cuts and I feel like I’ve played well over the past six months,” Whaley said. “It’s getting more and more difficult here and there and we need a big finish on those. I don’t feel like I have it.”
Higugo won one PGA Tour this year at the opposing field event in the Dominican Republic. But it almost felt like the end. He suffered a lip injury that destroyed the rest of the season.
Higugo argued that he had surgery on his lower back after the regular season, but realized that he could handle it with a change in his fitness routine. He doesn’t lift, he’s smarter.
“It wasn’t hurting me with my swing, but walking really made it worse and it’s going to pinch the next day,” Higugo said. “So think about how you can avoid that. I’ve changed the way I exercise, so I’m just a little smarter.”
He said his pain level is currently 1 in 10 people, but he is still tired faster than usual. But it feels like he’s back on the right track.
Higugo played in the final group with Scotty Schaeffler at the Procol Championship, where he came in seventh place. He is in the middle of another good week at Sanderson Farm.
Unlike most players on the field, his FedEx Cup rank has little effect. The Punta Cana Championship won him and is taking part in the Player Championship with a PGA Tour card in place. Masters invitations are no longer available for events in the Fall Series.
The final round with Schaeffler was a spectacular sight to see how the world’s number one player will be managed and ultimately win.
“I couldn’t tell you how much I learned, but I learned a lot just by looking,” Higugo said. “He’s an inspiration for all of us. He sets the bar very high. It’s just how high his skill level is.”