2023 Valspar Championship Preview: Expert Picks and Players to Watch
The 2023 Valspar Championship is set to take place April 8-11 at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida. The field this year will be headlined by two-time defending champion Sam Burns, along with Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick, Keegan Bradley, Tommy Fleetwood, and other top golfers.[0] The par 71 course measures 7,340 yards and features Bermuda grass greens.[0] It is unique in having four par 5s and five par 3s.
The Copperhead Course is known for its tight, tree-lined fairways and demanding three-hole finish, known as the Snake Pit.[1] It has been the only venue to host the Valspar Championship since it was added to the annual PGA TOUR schedule in 2000. Sam Burns is the only golfer to have won the tournament in back-to-back years, and he’ll be looking to make it three in a row.[2]
In order to make expert picks for the 2023 Valspar Championship, golf bettors should consider the recent form of the players in the field. Sam Burns had a similar stat line in his two Valspar wins, being third in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2021 and eighth in the same stat last year, as well as fourth in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green in 2022 and fifth the year prior.[3] Other players to watch include Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Keegan Bradley, Tommy Fleetwood, and Adam Hadwin.[2]
Golfers looking for an edge should also consider the weather forecast for the tournament, as well as the Strokes Gained: Approach stat. Additionally, bettors should consider the advice of SportsLine’s Jim Holliman, who has nailed eight majors and is up over $8,300 since June 2020. He has some high-value picks for the Valspar Championship, including Maverick McNealy (+250 for top 20), Garrick Higgo (+750 for top 10), and Adam Hadwin (+2800).
0. “DraftKings Fantasy Golf Picks: Valspar Championship Predictions, Preview” DraftKings Nation, 13 Mar. 2023, https://dknation.draftkings.com/fantasy-advice/2023/3/13/23637141/draftkings-fantasy-golf-picks-valspar-championship-burns-wu-jaeger
1. “Valspar Championship DFS picks 2023: How close is Jordan Spieth to winning?” GolfDigest.com, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.golfdigest.com/story/valspar-championship-dfs-picks-2023
2. “2023 Valspar Championship odds, picks, field: Surprising PGA predictions from model that nailed 8 majors” CBS Sports, 14 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2023-valspar-championship-odds-picks-field-surprising-pga-predictions-from-model-that-nailed-8-majors
3. “The First Look: Valspar Championship” PGA TOUR, 12 Mar. 2023, https://www.pgatour.com/article/news/the-first-look/2023/03/12/the-first-look-the-valspar-championship
