David Skinns has captured the spotlight at the Sanderson Farms Championship, where the 42-year-old Englishman delivered a bogey-free round of 12-under par on Thursday, carding an impressive twelve birdies. This performance has placed Skinns three strokes ahead of his closest competitor, Michael Thorbjornsen, and reignited hopes that this might finally be his long-awaited breakthrough on the PGA Tour.
Skinns, who has spent more than two decades in professional golf, has faced a career marked by persistence and near-misses. After playing for the University of Tennessee and dreaming of a professional career, Skinns struggled to make his mark early on, even failing to capitalize on a series of invitations to the Challenge Tour. He shifted his focus to the U.S., joining the Hooters Tour where he found moderate success, winning seven titles between 2008 and 2012. However, the death of Robert Brooks, the tour’s financial backer, led to the tour’s closure, forcing Skinns to find new avenues to sustain his career.
Undeterred, Skinns kept chasing his dream, bouncing between mini-tours and the Korn Ferry Tour. It wasn’t until 2018 that he won his first Korn Ferry title at the Pinnacle Bank Championship, a victory that propelled him closer to his ultimate goal. In 2021, another triumph at the same event finally earned him a PGA Tour card, though he struggled to maintain his position. Yet, his perseverance paid off once more in 2024 when he secured a PGA Tour spot through the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
Now, with his electrifying start at the Sanderson Farms Championship, Skinns is within reach of his first PGA Tour victory. While the first round has put him in the lead, the coming days will test whether he can maintain this momentum. His journey to the PGA Tour has been long and winding, but a win this weekend could extend his time on the circuit and solidify his long-held dream of success at the highest level. Fans are watching closely to see if Skinns can pull off a fairytale finish.
