JACKSON, Miss. — Smylie Kaufman didn't even make the Sanderson Farms Championship field last year, losing a playoff in the Monday qualifier and going home empty-handed.
One year later, he's one of the favorites.
The 23-year-old Kaufman won his first PGA Tour title two weeks ago in Las Vegas, closing with a 10-under 61 in the Shriners Hospital for Children Open.
Now instead of being just another rookie trying to survive on the PGA Tour, he has the security of knowing he's going to play in a lot of PGA Tour events over the next two years.