The PGA Tour’s Florida Swing rolls on with the Valspar Championship, which tees off Thursday at Innesbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.
Whereas it lacks the occasion standing of Bay Hill or TPC Sawgrass the previous two weeks, Innesbrook’s Copperhead course is among the many favourite tour stops for a number of gamers. With a area highlighted by Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas, our golf specialists break down the event and share their favourite prop picks together with greatest bets to win this week.
VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Palm Harbor, Fla., March 20-23
Course: Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead Course (Par 71, 7,352 Yards)
Purse: $8.7M (Winner: $1.566M)
Defending Champion: Peter Malnati
FedExCup chief: McIlroy
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel/NBC Sports activities App); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports activities App), 3-6 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @ValsparChamp
PROP PICKS
–Sam Burns to Beat Xander Schauffele (+110 at DraftKings): Neither participant enters in significantly good type, however at the least two-time winner Burns is taking part in a observe that he has had great success on previously — regardless of lacking the reduce right here final yr.
–Corey Conners Prime 20 End (+120 at BetRivers): This can be a robust potential payout for a participant who has a pair of top-10s in a signature occasion and at The Gamers the previous two weeks.
2025 Prop Decide Document: 11-17-1
BEST BETS
–Tommy Fleetwood (+1100 DraftKings) has completed T22 or higher in 14 consecutive worldwide begins as he nonetheless seeks his first stroke-play victory in the US.
–Xander Schauffele (+1200) known as the state of his sport “gross” as he has scuffled to a T40 and a seventieth in his first two begins again from a rib harm, however did shoot a final-round 65 right here in 2024 and is the highest-ranked participant within the area at No. 3.
–Sepp Straka (+1600) has been as constantly aggressive as anybody to start 2025, with final week’s T14 including to a win on the AmEx and a T5 at Bay Hill.
–Justin Thomas (+2000) has three top-10s in his previous six occasion begins, and he has stated Copperhead is amongst his favourite programs on tour. He hasn’t received because the 2022 PGA Championship. He’s third on the ebook with 5 p.c of the cash backing Thomas to interrupt his winless drought this week.
–Sam Burns (+2200) has one top-20 end in seven begins this yr and missed the reduce at The Gamers, however he has received this occasion twice.
–Michael Kim (+3000) is already making his tenth begin of the season. Fatigue is a priority, with a missed reduce final week following 5 consecutive top-13s.
–Corey Conners (+3500) is a two-time winner on tour who has quietly completed solo third and T6 in marquee occasions the previous two weeks. He leads the sector with 16 p.c of the cash and 5 p.c of all bets at DraftKings backing Conners to assert his third tour win this week.
–Lucas Glover (+6000) is coming off a T3 at The Gamers as he makes his twentieth begin on this occasion.
NOTES
–The sector contains 18 of the highest 50 gamers within the Official World Golf Rating, together with eight of the highest 25.
–The ninth gap will play from the No. 11 tee this yr so as to add size to the opening and to deliver bunkers into play.
–Malnati seeks to affix Paul Casey (2018-19) and Sam Burns (2021-22) because the third participant to efficiently defend a Valspar title previously seven editions of the occasion.
–Neal Shipley, the low novice finally yr’s Masters, is within the area on a sponsors exemption. He’s joined by Luke Clanton, who earned an exemption by successful the 2024 Valspar Collegiate Invitational earlier than incomes his PGA Tour membership via College Accelerated. He’s eligible to simply accept membership upon turning skilled on the conclusion of his junior season at Florida State. Blades Brown, 17, will make his fourth begin of the season. He tied for thirty fourth on the Mexico Open in his lone made reduce this yr.
–Vijay Singh set the event scoring file of 266 in 2004, whereas Padraig Harrington set the 18-hole file of 61 within the first spherical in 2012.
–Discipline Degree Media