Welcome to PGA Tour Brunch Coverage - The Valspar
Paul Casey, the 2018 and 2019 champion, the only player in tournament history to win back-to-back, will attempt for a very rare three-peat at The Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort.
The Valspar Championship is the 31st of 50 events in the 2020-21 PGA Tour season. It’s the first time in tournament history the Valspar Championship will be played in April/May instead of its usual place in March.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson finished T-6 at the 2019 Valspar Championship and missed the cut at his other starts at the event (2008, 2010).
Among players making their tournament debut is two-time PGA Tour winner Viktor Hovland who enters the week in the Top 15 in both the FedExCup (No. 7) and World Golf rankings (No. 15).
The 2016 Valspar Championship winner - Charl Schwartzel - lost in a playoff at last week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Schwartzel and partner Louis Oosthuizen fell to Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman in the only team/match play event on Tour.
In the last two weeks, Peter Uihlein won on the Korn Ferry Tour (MGM Resorts Championship at Paiute) and earned a career-best result on the PGA Tour (3rd/Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Richy Werenski).
Uihlein earned a spot in this field via the top-five at the Zurich Classic.
Tournament Tee Times begin Thursday at 6:55am (EDT) through 2:15pm (EDT).
Weather: A high pressure system will begin to slowly shift East allowing more humid conditions to return today and into Friday. Mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies can be expected each day with highs in the mid-80s to upper 80s. The models have slowed down the approaching cold front and it’s looking more likely that the front will stall across the northern gulf this weekend. This will keep Central Florida mainly dry with only a slight chance for a shower or thunderstorm developing during the afternoon hours (winds 10-15 mph).
PGATourBrunch will be posting before the 6:55am (EDT) tee times on Friday.
Next Week: Wells Fargo Championship (Charlotte, NC)
Field Updates:
Tom Hoge (commit) / Grayson Murray (out)
Anirban Lahiri (out) / Grayson Murray (back in)
Nate Lashley (out) / D.J. Trahan (in)
Carlos Ortiz (out) / Peter Uihlein (commit)
Steve Stricker (out) / Ryan Brehm (in)
Cameron Champ (out) / Sebastian Cappelen (in)
Will Gordon (out) / J.J. Spaun (in)
Brice Garnett (out) / Tim Wilkinson (in)
Sepp Straka (out) / Nelson Ledesma (in)
Tyrrell Hatton (out) / Kiradech Aphibarnrat (in)
The Field - (link)
THIS WEEK on the PGA TOUR: The Valspar Championship
COURSE: Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead), Palm Harbor, Florida
ARCHITECT: Larry Packard
YARDS/PAR: 7,340 yards/Par 71
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $6,900,000/$1,242,000
DEFENDING Champion (March 2019) - Paul Casey - (Leaderboard link)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points Winner: 500
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @ValsparChamp
OFFICIAL SITE: (Valspar Championship) - (Official Tournament Site)
TV COVERAGE: Today, April 29 and Friday, April 30: 2:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Golf Channel. On Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 - Golf Channel’s TV coverage goes from 1:00pm to 3:00pm (EDT), then CBS takes over coverage from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).
STREAMING: PGA Tour Live will offer streaming coverage of Featured Groups Today and Friday from 7:00am to 6:00pm (EDT). On Saturday and Sunday, PGA Live Featured Groups runs from 8:00am to 3:00pm (EDT) with Featured Holes goes from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT).
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Streaming Radio coverage on Today and Friday from 12:00pm Noon to 6:00pm (EDT); then Saturday and Sunday, 1:00pm to 6:00pm (EDT) on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.
How to Watch: (PGATourCom)
2021 Valspar Championship - Odds & Predictions:
A L👀K at the O👀S and A PREDICTION OR TWO:
(Odds via William Hill)
Justin Thomas 9-1
Dustin Johnson 10-1
Corey Conners 20-1
Patrick Reed 20-1
Paul Casey 22-1
Viktor Hovland 22-1
Scottie Scheffler 28-1
Russell Henley 30-1
Abraham Ancer 30-1
Sungjae Im 30-1
Louis Oosthuizen 30-1
Jason Kokrak 33-1
Joaquin Niemann 33-1
Bubba Watson 40-1
Justin Rose 40-1
Cameron Tringale 40-1
Charley Hoffman 45-1
Kevin Na 50-1
Chris Kirk 50-1
Emiliano Grillo 50-1
Ryan Palmer 50-1
Kevin Streelman 66-1
Max Homa 66-1
Kevin Kisner 66-1
Lucas Glover 70-1
Keegan Bradley 70-1
Sam Burns 70-1
Talor Gooch 70-1
Gary Woodland 70-1
Denny McCarthy 80-1
Cameron Davis 80-1
Charles Howell 80-1
Branden Grace 80-1
Erik Van Rooyen 90-1
Lanto Griffin 90-1
Ian Poulter 90-1
Adam Hadwin 90-1
Danny Willett 100-1
Brandt Snedeker 100-1
Phil Mickelson 100-1
Cameron Champ 100-1
Peter Uihlein 100-1
Matthew NeSmith 100-1
Mackenzie Hughes 100-1
Alex Noren 100-1
Doug Ghim 100-1
Charl Schwartzel 100-1
Sam Horsfield 100-1
J.T. Poston 100-1
Henrik Stenson 100-1
TL’s Wedge for an Edge: The PGA Tour Fantasy game is back in action this week, and I chose four players to as my Starters, along with two bench players. The starters will be: Paul Casey, Sungjae Im, Corey Connors and Patrick Reed. On the bench: Justin Rose and Jason Kokrak.
For PGA Tour One and Done? I’ll be going with Patrick Reed.
Note: Last week, we successfully picked Cameron Smith (and Marc Leishman) for a VERY NICE payday at the Zurich Classic two-man match play championship.
Sign Up for April Showers PGA Tour Brunch Special Discount:
What They’re Saying:
Casey Takes Aim at Rare Three-Peat (KFGO/Reuters)
Power Rankings for Valspar (PGATourCom)
Valspar Predictions (CBS Sports)
Horses for the Course at Copperhead (PGATourCom)
#SportsBiz, Sporting Gambling and Golf Industry News
Paul Casey “Sick of it” (ESPNCom)
Uresti Holds On for PGA Champ Qualifier (ESPN)
PGA Tour University Ranking (PGATourCom)
Expert Picks (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History:
April 29, 1984 - Corey Pavin won his first PGA Tour event title when he shot a final round (66) at the Houston Open to defeat runner-up Buddy Gardner by one stroke. Pavin would go on to win 15 PGA Tour titles, including his amazing performance at the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton (Long Island, NY). (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt:
Water Shots!