After week of team play in New Orleans, the PGA Tour returns its regular format of individual stroke play, and heads east, from New Orleans to the Tampa area for the 20th edition of the Valspar Championship, the fifth and final Florida stop on the season.
Considering its less than ideal spot on the calendar, the field at the acclaimed Innisbrook Resort is surprisingly solid, featuring seven of the top-20 ranked players in the world, headlined by Nos. 1 and 2, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas, respectively.
The other top-20 ranked stars competing against DJ and JT at the Copperhead course include No. 7 Patrick Reed, Tyrrell Hatton (8), Viktor Hovland (15), Sungjae Im (19), and No. 20 Paul Casey, the two-time defending champion.
Major winners Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen, Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett, Justin Rose, and Gary Woodland are some of the other familiar names.
As we do each week, here’s a round up of information and historical data to get you prepped for what’s ahead at the 2021 Valspar.
2021 Valspar Championship
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The Valspar Skinny
Name: Valspar Championship
Tour Debut: 2000 (Tampa Bay Classic)
Title Sponsor: Valspar Paint
Dates: Apr 29-May 2, 2021
Where: Palm Harbor, Fla.
Course: Innisbrook (Copperhead)
Distance: Par 71, 7209 yards
Architect: Larry Packard
Format: 72-holes, Stroke play
Field: 144 Players (36-hole cut)
Purse: $6,700,000
Winning Share: $1,206,000
FedExCup/OWGR Pts: 500/60
Trophy: Bronze Paint Brush/Golf Ball (Malcolm DeMille)
Defending Champion: Paul Casey
How to Follow the Valspar Championship
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 2-6 p.m. (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 1-3 p.m. (GOLF), 3-6 p.m. (NBC)
PGA TOUR LIVE: Thu-Fri: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (Groups); Sat-Sun: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (Groups), 3-6 p.m. (Holes)
Watch on Prime Video
PGA TOUR RADIO: Thu-Fri: 12-6 p.m.; Sat-Sun: 1-6 p.m.
(PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio)
LINKS: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Valspar Championship History
The name has had a number of changes, but the PGA Tour event contested on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort has been a regular part of the Tour schedule since its inception more than 20 years ago.
Founded in 2000 as the Tampa Bay Classic, the tournament was an alternate event for its first two editions, and slotted in the fall portion of the schedule.
In its debut, it was contested opposite the Presidents Cup (October 2000), and then the same week as the WGC-American Express Championship in September 2002. (The 2001 event was canceled following the September 11 attacks as it was set to be played Sep. 13-16.)
In 2003 it was given a promotion to full event status, and was scheduled ahead of the season-ending Tour Championship – this was before the launch of the FedExCup playoffs, and wrap-around schedule.
In 2007, the season which launched the FedExCup, the Valspar (then PODS Championship) was moved to March and inserted in the Florida Swing, a spot it held down until this season, when it was left out of the annual Sunshine State series.
Valspar, an international manufacturer of paint and coatings, based out of Minneapolis, has been the title sponsor since 2014.
Past winners have included such names as Vijay Singh, Jordan Spieth, Charl Schwartzel, Luke Donald, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, K.J. Choi, and most recently Paul Casey.
History: Tournament Names
- Valspar Championship (2014-21)
- Tampa Bay Championship presented by Everbank (2013)
- Transitions Championship (2009-12)
- PODS Championship (2007-08)
- Chrysler Championship (2003-06)
- Tampa Bay Classic presented by Buick (2002)
- Tampa Bay Classic (2000-01)
History: Tournament Months
The tournament has been played in the month of:
- September (2002) Alternate WGC-Amex
- October (2000) Alternate Presidents Cup
- Late Oct (2003-06) Lead-in to TOUR Championship
- March (2007-19) Florida Swing
- April (2021)
History: Recent Winners
2019: Paul Casey (-8)
2018: Paul Casey (-10)
2016: Charl Schwartzel (-7)
2015: Jordan Spieth (-10)
2014: John Senden (-7)
2013: Kevin Streelman (-10)
2012: Luke Donald (-13)
2011: Gary Woodland (-15)
History: Tournament Records
Wins:
2 – Paul Casey (2018, 2019)
2 – Retief Goosen (2003, 2009)
2 – K.J. Choi (2002, 2006)
Scoring:
266 (-18) Vijay Singh (2004)
Valspar Defending Champion
Paul Casey shot a final-round 72 at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course to repeat at the Valspar Championship.
Casey finished his final day in Palm Harbor, Florida with four birdies against five bogeys to settle in at 8-under par, one clear of Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Kokrak.
The win was Casey’s third of his PGA Tour career, two of which occurred in the past year – both at Innisbrook.
Final Top-5 Finishers
Pos-Player-Score (Final Rd)
1. Paul Casey -8 (+1)
2. Louis Oosthuizen -7 (-2)
2. Jason Kokrak -7 (E)
4. Bubba Watson -6 (-3)
4. Sungjae Im -6 (-1)
The Course: Innisbrook’s Copperhead
One of four championship tracks at Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead is the host course for the tournament, annually checking in as one of the very toughest on the PGA Tour schedule.
The course features tree-lined plush fairways with elevation changes you normally don’t find in the Sunshine State. In fact, with its tall Pines and rolling terrain, the course has more of a Carolina feel than Florida. Its layout stretches some 7,200 yards for the tour pros.
12-time PGA Tour winner, and current NBC Golf Analyst, Paul Azinger, once said, “Copperhead is the best course we play on tour.”
Holes: 18 | Par: 71 | Yards: 7209 | Slope: 142 | Rating: 75.9
Valspar Championship Field
The field for the Valspar Championship this week includes five players ranked in the current top 20 in the Official Golf World Rankings, headlined by No. 1 Dustin Johnson and No. 2 Justin Thomas, and anchored by two-time defending champion Paul Casey (No. 20).
Other top-30 ranked players include Patrick Reed (7), Tyrrell Hatton (8), Viktor Hovland (15), Scottie Scheffler (21), Ryan Palmer (27), and Abrahma Ancer (30).
In addition to Casey, former Valspar winners in the field include K.J. Choi (2006), Sean O’Hair (2008), Gary Woodland (2011), Luke Donald (2012), Kevin Streelman (2013), Charl Schwartzel (2016), and Adam Hadwin (2017).
Other marquee names include: Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen, and Ian Poulter, among others.
The Road to the Valspar Championship
How The Field Qualified for the 2021 Valspar Championship
Winner U.S. Open
Dustin Johnson (2016)
Gary Woodland (2019)
Five (5) Most Recent Winners Qualify
Winner PGA Championship
Justin Thomas (2017)
Jimmy Walker (2016)
Five (5) Most Recent Winners Qualify
Winner Masters Tournament
Patrick Reed (2018)
Danny Willett (2016)
Five (5) Most Recent Winners Qualify
Winner The Open Championship
Zach Johnson
Henrik Stenson
Five (5) Most Recent Winners Qualify
Winner WGC Event
Kevin Kisner (2019 Match Play)
Phil Mickelson (2018 Mexico)
Justin Rose (2017 HSBC)
Bubba Watson (2018 Match Play)
Most recent three (3) winners of each
Winners – Invitational (3 years)
Jason Dufner (2017 Memorial)
Tyrrell Hatton (2019 Arnold Palmer)
Max Homa (2021 Genesis)
Invitationals: Genesis Arnold Palmer, Memorial
Tournament Winners (2017-18 – 2020-21)
Ryan Armour
Keegan Bradley
Paul Casey
Cameron Champ
Corey Conners
Austin Cook
Tyler Duncan
Brice Garnett
Brian Gay
Branden Grace
Lanto Griffin
Jim Herman
J.B. Holmes
Viktor Hovland
Charles Howell III
Sungjae Im
Sung Kang
Michael Kim
Patton Kizzire
Russell Knox
Satoshi Kodaira
Jason Kokrak
Martin Laird
Andrew Landry
Nate Lashley
Adam Long
Graeme McDowell
Troy Merritt
Keith Mitchell
Kevin Na
Joaquin Niemann
Carlos Ortiz
Ryan Palmer
Pat Perez
Scott Piercy
J.T. Poston
Ted Potter, Jr.
Ian Poulter
Andrew Putnam
Chez Reavie
Brandt Snedeker
Hudson Swafford
Nick Taylor
Martin Trainer
Kevin Tway
Richy Werenski
Career Money Exemption
K.J. Choi
Luke Donald
Hunter Mahan
Steve Stricker
Bo Van Pelt
Sponsors Exemptions
Nick Watney (1)
Rafa Cabrera Bello (2)
Camilo Villegas (2)
John Augenstein (3)
Rasmus Hojgaard (3)
Sam Horsfield (3)
Chase Koepka (3)
1. 2018-19 FEC / Korn Ferry Category
2. Not Otherwise Exempt Category
3. Unrestricted Category
PGA Section Champion
Rod Perry
Past Valspar Champions
Adam Hadwin (2017)
Charl Schwartzel (2016)
Top 125 Prior Season FEC
Scottie Scheffler
Mackenzie Hughes
Abraham Ancer
Kevin Streelman
Byeong Hun An
Mark Hubbard
Danny Lee
Alex Noren
Russell Henley
Talor Gooch
Louis Oosthuizen
Robby Shelton
Doc Redman
Denny McCarthy
Henrik Norlander
Charley Hoffman
Xinjun Zhang
Sepp Straka
Cameron Tringale
Cameron Davis
Vaughn Taylor
Patrick Rodgers
Brian Stuard
Emiliano Grillo
Kyoung-Hoon Lee
Scott Harrington
Matthew NeSmith
Ryan Moore
Sam Ryder
Adam Schenk
Wyndham Clark
Sam Burns
Scott Brown
Beau Hossler
Lucas Glover
Luke List
Scott Stallings
Rory Sabbatini
Tom Lewis
Bo Hoag
William Gordon*
Erik van Rooyen*
* Top 125 (Nonmember)
Major Medical Extension
Chris Kirk
James Hahn
Kevin Chappell
Kevin Stadler
William McGirt
Sean O’Hair
Jamie Lovemark
Wesley Bryan
John Huh
Kelly Kraft
Jonas Blixt
D.A. Points
Top 125 FEC (2018-19)/Top Korn Ferry Tour
Peter Malnati
Brandon Hagy
Doug Ghim
Chase Seiffert
Anirban Lahiri
Kyle Stanley
Jhonattan Vegas
Cameron Percy
Rafael Campos
Michael Gligic
Kristoffer Ventura
Chesson Hadley
Kramer Hickok
Roger Sloan
Vincent Whaley
David Hearn
Joseph Bramlett
Rob Oppenheim
Hank Lebioda
Bronson Burgoon
Grayson Murray
Carey Hoffman contributed to this report.
Credits: PGA Tour Media, Getty Images, Golf Advisor
Title: 2021 Valspar Championship Primer: History, TV, Field, Odds
Sourced From: progolfweekly.com/2021-valspar-championship-primer-history-tv-field-odds/
Published Date: 2021 04 25
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