2023 Sanford International: Power Rankings, Prize Money, Defending Champion, and More

Sep 13, 2023 | 11:30 AM EDT

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The next PGA Tour Champions event, the Sanford International, is set to be held from September 15 to 17. The event will bring golf’s senior legends to the lush links of Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Steve Stricker won the inaugural event in 2018. Because there are so many renowned players on the field, the event is poised to captivate the spectators.

There will be 78 professional golfers competing for the trophy. The competition promises to be intense, competitive, and exciting over three days, especially with its huge purse and sizable winner’s payout. Let’s find out more about the event.

Which faces are likely to be seen at the 2023 Sanford International?

Given the presence of so many great players, nobody should anticipate an easy competition. The guessing game about who will triumph this year has picked up as the kick-off approaches. Here is the list of the top 5 power ranking players who are likely to grab more attention than others.

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1. Steve Stricker, the reigning champion, is up first. He defeated Robert Karlsson in a playoff to win his second Sanford International championship last year. This year, too, he has been going strong with his performances. The 56-year-old golfer captured his fifth senior major, the Regions Tradition, in May. He also defeated Padraig Harrington in a playoff to win the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. He has amassed 14 PGA Champions Tour victories in all. Let’s see if he can successfully defend his championship in Sioux Falls.

2. We have another Steve in town. Steve Flesch is the two-time runner-up at Sanford International. He came in second in 2020 and 2021. He triumphed at Norwood Hill Golf Club last week. At the Ascension Charity Classic, he won his fourth PGA Tour Champions tournament. Let’s see if Flesh will be lucky this time.

3. Next on the list is 2021 champion Darren Clark. He overcame KJ Choi and Steve Flesch on the second playoff hole. He is one of the few players to have won both the Open Championship and the Senior Open Championship.

4. German professional golfer Bernhard Langer is a master of golf. He is a deserving opponent on the course thanks to his extraordinary skills. This July, he won the US Senior Open by two strokes against Stricker. With this victory, he now has a record 46 PGA Tour Champions victories. Can he add the 47th victory to his resume?

5. Finally, we have ”The Big Easy” Ernie Els. The South African golfer is one of the most decorated players in history. He is one of only six golfers to have won the Open Championship and the US Open twice. He won the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach this March by a solitary stroke.

Past champions, the venue, prize money, and other details

Past champions Rocco Mediate (2019) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (2020) will take on the course again this week. Jim Furyk, one of the vice-captains of the US Ryder Cup team this year, will also be on the course. John Daly, the bad boy of golf, will also demonstrate his prowess.

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For the sixth time, the competition is taking place in Sioux Falls. The Minnehaha Country Club boasts a premier golf course. The course was designed by William Langford. The traditional parkland course is 6,729 yards long and has a par-70 rating. The course displays the undulating geography of the Great Plains, which is encircled by magnificent forests and immaculately maintained fields. Players will play 54 holes with no cuts.

The $2 million prize pool will be split among the 78 players in the field, with the winner taking home $300,000. Jake Owen, a popular country music artist, will also perform at the event. Who are you supporting? Tell us in the comment section below!

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