This week’s Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi marks Daniel Berger’s 22nd start on the PGA Tour in 2024. But it has not been an easy season for the former Ryder Cup star.
He missed 11 cuts and has posted zero top-10s to date. His best finish came at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May, when he tied for 13th. Yet, Berger feels fortunate enough just to be playing after a back injury troubled him for nearly 18 months. The 2022 U.S. Open at Brookline was his last professional start until this past January, when he teed it up at The American Express.
Now, at the Country Club of Jackson, Berger is back where he belongs: contending at a PGA Tour event through 36 holes. He fired a 7-under 65 on Thursday and followed that up with another 65 on Friday to sit at 14-under at the midway point. Berger briefly held the lead at one point but now trails Beau Hossler by a stroke.
After his second round, the four-time PGA Tour winner provided a sensational admission.
“This is probably the first time I can say I’m 100%,” Berger said after his round.
“The last couple weeks, I felt my best and played a bunch of golf at home with the guys, and I am hitting it further and just feeling like myself more. That’s translating into what I’m seeing now.”
What he is seeing is tremendous. He is currently second among the field in overall strokes gained and has yet to record a bogey.
“I’m just trying to have some fun and enjoy myself,” Berger added.
Daniel Berger has the lead in Jackson.
LFG!!!!
A win for Danny would be an INCREDIBLE story of redemption and one of THE stories of the year. pic.twitter.com/1pgOvDhPfB
— Jack Milko (@jack_milko) October 4, 2024
“Seems to be working so far. My dad was out here earlier with me this week, so it has felt like a normal week at home. That’s usually when I play my best.”
If you have followed golf over the past few years, you know the sport has been turned upside down. The rise of LIV Golf has splintered the sport while forcing the PGA Tour to make some changes, such as creating Signature Events to ensure top golfers play alongside each other.
But Berger has not played in a Signature Event because he missed nearly two years. That forced him to play in some unfamiliar tournaments; then again, at least he is healthy enough to do so.
“In the beginning, it was extremely difficult,” Berger said.
“The landscape of the golf world has changed from when I took time off to where I am now. The tournaments that I’m in—I wasn’t in this year, but I would’ve been in before. So I’m playing new events I never played before, going places I never had on my schedule, changing golf coaches, and having new caddies. You add all this change, and it just becomes challenging. I’ve just tried to dig in, be patient, and enjoy the process.”
Perhaps that explains why Berger struggled during the first half of 2024.
“When you miss nearly two years, you don’t come back and see immediate success, it can be challenging,” Berger added.
“Now I’m just having fun, and that’s when I play my best.”
Hopefully, the best for Berger has yet to come.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
