PALM HARBOR - This week’s Valspar Championship returns to its traditional March date and will wrap up the PGA Tour's four-tournament Florida Swing after previously being contested in May, 2021. The three winners in Florida so far have included a first-time winner (Sepp Straka, The Honda Classic) and two players who entered the week in the Top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking and picked up their second wins of the season (Scottie Scheffler/Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and Cameron Smith/The PLAYERS Championship).
Five of the Top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are scheduled to compete in the Valspar Championship, the most for the tournament since 2015 (5). This is the seventh event this season with at least five of the Top 10 players and second consecutive. No. 2 Collin Morikawa, No. 3 Viktor Hovland, No. 8 Justin Thomas, No. 9 Xander Schauffele, and rounding it out, No. 10 Dustin Johnson.
There have been 11 Holes-in-One at the Valspar.
Preview | Valspar Championship
COURSE: Innesbrook Resort, Copperhead, Palm Harbor - Florida
ARCHITECT: Larry Packard
YARDS/PAR: 7,340 yards/Par 71
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $7,800,000/$1,404,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Sam Burns
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @ValsparChamp
TV COVERAGE: First two rounds of the Valspar Championship (March 17 & 18) are scheduled for coverage from 2:00pm to 6:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel. On Saturday and Sunday, coverage is set for 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 3:00pm to 6:00pm (ET) on NBC.
PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Streaming coverage from Copperhead will be featured on ESPN-Plus Thursday and Friday with Main Feed, Featured Hole and Featured Groups from 7:30am to 6:00pm (ET). Weekend streaming on ESPN+ from 8:00am to 6:00pm (ET).
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live radio coverage Thursday and Friday as broadcasts originate from Copperhead from 12:00pm Noon to 6:00pm (ET). Saturday and Sunday coverage on Sirius XM Radio runs from 1:00pm to 6:00pm (ET). PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom.
How to Watch/Stream the PGA Tour Live and Valspar: (ESPNCom)
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
The Basics:
Tournament site: The Valspar Championship
The Valspar Championship - With the extra hour of daylight savings time, Tee Times start Thursday at 7:40am (ET) and go to 2:31pm (ET).
Weather: Thursday’s forecast is for sunny skies and 68-degree temperature with only a 10% chance of rain. Winds at 7 mph (West).
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 7:30am (ET) on Thursday.
Next Week: The Dell Technologies Match Play and Corales Puntacana Championship
Valspar Championship - The Field and Tee Times:
The Field: (link)
Updates:
Sunday, March 13
Kevin Tway (out) / Trey Mullinax (in)
Maverick McNealy (out) / David Lipsky (in)
Cameron Young (out) / John Huh (in)
Monday, March 14
Patrick Rodgers (out) / Paul Barjon (in)
Brandt Snedeker (out) / Seth Reeves (in)
Taylor Pendrith (out) / Austin Smotherman (in)
Joaquin Niemann (out) / Curtis Thompson (in – own number), Kurt Kitayama (in - sponsor exemption)
Tuesday, March 15
Paul Casey (out) / Bronson Burgoon (in)
Doug Ghim (out) / Austin Cook (in)
Sebastián Muñoz (out) / Dylan Wu (in)
Tee Times: (link)
Odds for the Valspar Championship:
Source: CBS Sportsline
Justin Thomas +1000
Viktor Hovland +1100
Collin Morikawa +1100
Dustin Johnson +1600
Xander Schauffele +2000
Louis Oosthuizen +2200
Tyrrell Hatton +2500
Sam Burns +2500
Brooks Koepka +2500
Matt Fitzpatrick +2800
Shane Lowry +2800
Abraham Ancer +2800
Tommy Fleetwood +3300
Jason Kokrak +3300
Bubba Watson +4500
Gary Woodland +4500
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +4500
Jason Day +4500
Russell Knox +5000
Webb Simpson +5000
Keegan Bradley +5000
Alex Noren +5000
Adam Hadwin +5500
Kevin Kisner +6000
Brian Harman +6600
Cameron Tringale +6600
Harold Varner +6600
Mackenzie Hughes +6600
Aaron Wise +6600
Denny McCarthy +7500
Bernd Wiesberger +8000
Lanto Griffin +9000
Matthias Schwab +9000
Jhonattan Vegas +9000
Adam Svensson +10000
Martin Kaymer +10000
Patton Kizzire +10000
Francesco Molinari +10000
C.T. Pan +10000
Kevin Streelman +10000
Nick Taylor +12500
Doc Redman +12500
Joel Dahmen +12500
Alex Smalley +12500
Martin Laird +12500
Charley Hoffman +12500
Sam Ryder +12500
Carlos Ortiz +12500
Mito Pereira +12500
Brendon Todd +12500
Scott Stallings +12500
Danny Willett +12500
Stewart Cink +15000
Zach Johnson +15000
Nate Lashley +15000
Vaughn Taylor +15000
John Huh +15000
Branden Grace +15000
Troy Merritt +15000
Taylor Moore +15000
Chad Ramey +15000
Pat Perez +15000
Adam Long +15000
Emiliano Grillo +15000
Matt Kuchar +15000
Wyndham Clark +15000
Danny Lee +15000
Sahith Theegala +15000
Brandon Wu +15000
Matthew NeSmith +15000
Brian Stuard +17500
David Lipsky +17500
Michael Thompson +17500
J.J. Spaun +17500
Graeme McDowell +17500
Greyson Sigg +17500
Andrew Putnam +20000
Kramer Hickok +20000
Trey Mullinax +20000
Austin Smotherman +20000
Harry Higgs +20000
J.T. Poston +20000
Kurt Kitayama +20000
Matt Wallace +20000
Davis Riley +20000
Chez Reavie +20000
Sung-Hoon Kang +20000
Lee Hodges +20000
Hank Lebioda +20000
Henrik Stenson +25000
Kyle Stanley +25000
Charl Schwartzel +25000
Andrew Novak +25000
Ryan Brehm +25000
Adam Schenk +25000
Stephan Jaeger +25000
Kiradech Aphibarnrat +25000
Joseph Bramlett +25000
Brice Garnett +25000
Cameron Percy +25000
Vincent Whaley +25000
Peter Malnati +25000
Sean O'Hair +25000
Jim Herman +25000
Hayden Buckley +25000
Andrew Landry +25000
Luke Donald +30000
Callum Tarren +30000
Tyler Duncan +30000
Robert Streb +30000
Jimmy Walker +30000
Roger Sloan +30000
Henrik Norlander +30000
James Hahn +30000
Bill Haas +30000
Chun-An Yu +30000
Max McGreevy +30000
Scott Piercy +30000
TL’s Wedge for an Edge: This week at the Valspar Championship, Tee Els’ PGA Fantasy game foursome (and two reserves) will include some top-notch players as the season segment re-set: Gary Woodland will get a start, along with Viktor Hovland, Louis Oosthuizen and Alex Noren. TL’s bench players will be: Sam Burns and Matt Fitzpatrick.
What They’re Saying:
Monday Qualifiers at Valspar (PGATourCom)
Take-Aways and Things to Ignore from The PLAYERS (ESPN)
Nine Things to Consider at Copperhead (PGATourCom)
First Look at the Valspar Championship (PGATourCom)
Draws & Fades for the Valspar Championship - (PGATourCom)
Power Rankings for the Valspar (PGATourCom)
FedExCup Standings (PGATourCom)
Industry News, #Sports Gambling and Daily Fantasy News
University of Southwest Golf Teams in Fatal Crash (Golf Week/USA Today)
Nine Killed in Crash (ESPN/Wire Services)
Six Best Picks for Valspar (Action Net)
Expert Picks at the Valspar - (PGATourCom)
Sleeper Picks at the Valspar - (Golf Week/USA Today))
Fantasy Pick ‘Em Preview (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History:
March 16, 1975 - Playing without a pitching wedge for six holes, Jack Nicklaus shot a final round (68) to win the Doral Eastern Open in Miami. The head of the Nicklaus pitching wedge flew off at the practice range causing one of his business associates to find some quick-dry glue and repair the club mid-round. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt:
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