Cameron Young’s triumph at the Players Championship on Sunday marked the end of a run of high-profile PGA Tour tournaments, and thoughts for many will soon turn to Augusta and the Masters. But first, however, a strong field gathers at Innisbrook Resort this week for the Florida Swing finale, the Valspar Championship.
Xander Schauffele finished 3rd at TPC Sawgrass last week and the 2-time Major winner is a hot contender for the Valspar, where he has 3 top-12 finishes from 3 appearances. Schauffele’s steady return to form hasn’t escaped the attention of the oddsmakers, who make him no bigger than +1100 to triumph at the Copperhead Course, the traditional Valspar venue best known for its tough ‘Snakepit’ finish. Length off the tee is not essential when it comes to tackling this 7,352-yard par-71. Small greens increase emphasis on accurate approaches, while sharp putting also tends to have a big say in the outcome. Let’s break down my golf predictions for this week’s Valspar Championship.
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Valspar Championship golf picks and predictions
Valspar Championship best bet: Jacob Bridgeman (+2250)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Schauffele and defending champion Viktor Hovland have clear claims, while Matt Fitzpatrick will be eager to bounce back after having his pocket picked by Young on Sunday. However, it’s rapidly improving Jacob Bridgeman who looks the best bet from the front end of the market.
The 26-year-old Carolinian is operating at a truly elite level, finishing no worse than 18th in 7 PGA Tour starts this year, a run that included a win at the Genesis Invitational and a 5th-place finish at Sawgrass on Sunday. Bridgeman has been doing everything well – he leads the PGA Tour in total strokes gained – and has established himself as the best putter on the circuit. He held the 36-hole lead at the Valspar last year, finishing 3rd behind Hovland and Justin Thomas, and he is a much more complete, confident player now.
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Valspar Championship prediction: Brooks Koepka (+2800)
Odds available at bet365 at time of publishing.
This also looks like the right time to support Florida native Brooks Koepka, who finished 9th at the Cognizant Classic and then 13th at Sawgrass with an encouraging tee-to-green effort. Koepka has made just 1 Copperhead start over the last decade, finishing 12th in 2022. He can plot his way around the Palm Harbor track.
The Players Championship pick: Ryo Hisatsune (+4200)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Putting has been an issue for Ryo Hisatsune, but he rolled his rock well when 4th in last year’s Valspar. The Japanese was 2nd in the Farmers Insurance Open in January and has been one of the best iron players on the PGA Tour this year, including when 13th last week.
The Players Championship pick: Austin Smotherman (+6600)
Odds available at bet365 at time of publishing.
Austin Smotherman won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour last year and leads the PGA Tour this year in strokes-gained approach. He was a runner-up at the Cognizant and 13th last week, showing no ill effects after a back injury forced him to withdraw at Bay Hill a fortnight ago.
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