After a crazy couple of designated events at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The PLAYERS Championship, in addition to the Puerto Rico Open, the PGA Tour remains in Florida, now playing near Tampa Bay for the Valspar Championship at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.
Last week, Scottie Schefter overtook the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings after he cruised his way to victory, winning by five shots at The PLAYERS Championship.
With the win, he joined Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only two players who hold both The PLAYERS Championship trophy and the Masters tournament trophy at the same time.
A handful of players who finished inside the top 10 at the Puerto Rico Open are teeing it up this week. Cody Gribble, John VenDerLaan, Wesley Bryan, and Akshay Bhatia are getting prepared this week. In addition, the two sponsor exemptions this week are Ludvig Aberg and Pierceson Coody.
The Innisbrook resort is a par 71 and 7,340 yards that opened in the early 1970s. With the positioning of the trees, the accuracy of the tee will be important for all players in the field. Like last week at TPC Sawgrass, the final three holes provided a challenge. Called the ‘Snake Pit,’ there are two par 4s sandwiched between a long, 200-yard par-3.
What channel is the Valspar Championship on?
The Valspar Championship will be televised between NBC and the Golf Channel.
Television schedule for the Valspar Championship
| Round | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| 1 | Thursday, Mar. 16 | 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 2 | Friday, Mar. 17 | 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 3 | Saturday, Mar. 18 | 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Golf Channel NBC |
| 4 | Sunday, Mar. 19 | 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Golf Channel NBC |
Related: PGA Tour announces new changes, designated events to 2024 schedule
Other coverage for the Valspar Championship
In addition to NBC and the Golf Channel, the Valspar Championship will also be broadcasted on ESPN+ and Peacock. PGA Tour Live for the marquee and featured groups can be exclusively found on ESPN+, in addition to the featured holes on the 4, 8, 15, and 17.
The Valspar Championship will also be on the airwaves of Sirius XM.
Thursday, March 16 (Round 1)
ESPN+: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Friday, March 17 (Round 2)
ESPN+: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, March 18 (Round 3)
ESPN+: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 19 (Round 4)
ESPN+: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
How much are tickets for the Valspar Championship?
Tickets to walk the grounds for the Valspar Championship begin at $60. The Private Cabana, which is sold out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, is $4,000 as fans get the views of the par-3 13th and 15th holes for ten tickets and six yellow lot parking passes, an all-included full-service bar, and an option to purchase food and snacks.
Up to two youths, ages 15 and under, will be admitted free with a ticketed adult all week.
Payout for the 2023 Valspar Championship
The total purse for the event is set at $8.1 million, and the winner will receive $1.5 million and 500 FedEx Cup points.
Who are some of the top golfers in the Valspar Championship?
After competing in the last few events, most top golfers are taking time away from the Valspar Championship ahead of next week’s World Golf Championships-Dell Technology Match Play Event in Texas.
Both Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth are teeing it up and headlining the field this week at the Valspar Championship. Thomas, World No. 10, and Spieth, World No. 14, will also compete with World No. 13 and reigning U.S. Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick.
World No. 15 Sam Burns is looking to win this event for the third consecutive year and become the first player since Steve Stricker to win a PGA Tour event three consecutive years.
In addition, Keegan Bradley, who is the top player in the FedEx Cup standings and No. 22 in the OWGR, was originally in the field but withdrew on Wednesday and was replaced the first alternate Jonathan Byrd.
Related: Top 10 PGA Tour players one month before the Masters
5 players who can hoist the Valspar Championship trophy on Sunday
Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas, the reigning PGA Champion winner, did not have the best of weeks at The PLAYERS Championship last week. Although Thomas made a couple of shots from off the green, Thomas could not make enough shots accurately to win at TPC Sawgrass for the second time in three years.
In a less competitive field compared to the two designated events over the last two weeks, Thomas has the opportunity to raise the trophy on Sunday to fuel himself into the match play event next week and the four majors.
Sam Burns
When it comes to this event, Sam Burns has been the face of this tournament, winning the past two times. Last year, the key for Burns was executing his putts, as he led the field with 1.577 putts per green in regulation.
That means he was not able to make putts, but he needs to be able to get into successful putting situations with his approach shots, as he was one of 13 players a year ago to have a greens in regulation clip above regulation. GIR and putts per GIR are going to be key this week.
Adam Hadwin
Adam Hadwin replaces Bradley in this list of top-five picks after he withdrew from the field on Wednesday. This season, Hadwin has missed just one cut in 11 events, which came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. However, he has three top 10s with a T10 at both the Shriners Children’s Open and the WM Phoenix Open, in addition to a seventh place finish at the Cadence Bank Houston Open.
Hadwin, who is coming off of a T13 last week at The PLAYERS Championship, does have a favorable history at Innisbrook Resort. The Canadian won this event for his first PGA Tour victory in 2017, which was benefited by a 7-under 64 in the second round. Last year, Hadwin was solo seventh as he recorded an opening round 64 to start off his week.
Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood did not have the best of weeks at The PLAYERS Championship days ago as he shot a 4-under 76 to push him out of contention on Sunday.
Fleetwood, who is in an all-English pairing the first two days, has some negative momentum that can fuel him this week.
Ben Griffin
If there is someone who is not among the best in the world to compete this week, it is Ben Griffin, who comes into this week 35th in the FedEx Cup standings and above 70 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Since the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in October, Griffin has only missed one cut and finished inside the top-15 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Griffin is second on the PGA Tour in total birdies, which will be crucial as players try to execute shots on the course.
Valspar Championship pairings (all times ET)
- MG: Marquee Group, FG: Featured Group
Rd. 1: 1 tee Round 2: 10 tee
7:40 a.m. 12:30 p.m. – Patrick Rodgers, Taylor Moore, Alex Smalley
7:51 a.m. 12:41 p.m. – Michael Kim, Kyle Stanley, Matthias Schwab
8:02 a.m. 12:52 p.m. – Austin Cook, Jason Dufner, Brandon Wu
8:13 a.m. 1:03 p.m. – Chez Reavie, Richy Werenski, Michael Thompson
8:24 a.m. 1:14 p.m. – Lucas Glover, Garrick Higgo, Martin Laird
8:35 a.m. 1:25 p.m. – Ryan Brehm, Erik van Rooyen, J.B. Holmes
8:46 a.m. 1:36 p.m. – Luke Donald, Stephan Jaeger, Ben Taylor
8:57 a.m. 1:47 p.m. – Russell Knox Denny McCarthy, Doc Redman
9:08 am 1:58 p.m. – Davis Riley, Ben Griffin, Austin Smotherman
9:19 am. 2:09 p.m. – Harry Hall, Sam Stevens, John VanDerLaan
9:30 a.m. 2:20 p.m. – Matti Schmid, Paul Haley II, Peter Knade
9:41 a.m. 2:31 p.m. – Carson Young, Trevor Werebylo, Alex Chiarella
Rd. 1: 10 tee Round 2: 1 tee
7:45 a.m. 12:35 p.m. – Adam Hadwin, Kelly Kraft, Justin Lower
7:56 a.m. 12:46 p.m. – Jimmy Walker, David Lingmerth, Chesson Hadley
8:07 a.m. 12:57 p.m. – Wesley Bryan, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati
8:18 a.m. (MG) 1:08 p.m. (FG) – Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth, Gary Woodland
8:29 a.m. (FG) 1:19 p.m. (FG) – J.T. Poston, Justin Thomas, Joel Dahmen
8:40 a.m. (FG) 1:30 p.m. – Jonathan Byrd, K.H. Lee, Webb Simpson
8:51 a.m. 1:41 p.m. – Patton Kizzire, Ryan Moore, Cameron Piercy
9:02 a.m. 1:52 p.m. – Beau Hossler, Henrik Norlander, Hank Lebioda
9:13 a.m. 2:03 p.m. – Maverick McNealy, Will Gordon, Justin Suh
9:24 a.m. 2:14 p.m. – Erik Barnes, Akshay Bhatia, Victor Perez
9:35 a.m. 2:25 p.m. – Andrew Novak, Kyle Westmoreland, Vincent Normann
9:46 a.m. 2:36 p.m. – MJ Daffue, Kevin Roy, Ryan Gerard
Rd. 1: 1 tee Round 2: 10 tee
12:35 p.m. 7:45 a.m. – Sam Ryder, Max McGreevy, S.H. Kim
12:46 p.m. 7:56 a.m. – Adam Long, Byeong, Hun An, Tyson Alexander
12:57 p.m. 8:07 a.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Zac Blair, Kramer Hickok
1:08 p.m. (FG) 8:18 a.m. (MG) – Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood
1:19 p.m. (FG) 8:29 a.m. (FG) – Kevin Kisner, Brian Harman, Zach Johnson
1:30 p.m. 8:40 a.m. – Nico Echavarria, Trey Mullinax, Luke List
1:41 p.m. 8:51 a.m. – Kevin Tway, Brice Garnett, Matthew NeSmith
1:52 p.m. 9:02 a.m. – Ryan Armour, Matt Wallace, Doug Ghim
2:03 p.m. 9:13 a.m. – Rory Sabbatini, Lee Hodges, Eric Cole
2:14 p.m. 9:24 a.m. – Dylan Wu, Tano Goya, Pierceson Coody
2:25 p.m. 9:35 a.m. – Harrison Endycott, Brandon Matthews, Ludvig Aberg
2:36 p.m. 9:46 a.m. – Harry Higgs, Scott Harrington, Chris Nido
Rd. 1: 10 tee Round 2: 1 tee
12:30 p.m. 7:40 a.m. – Nate Lashley, Brian Stuard, Robby Shelton
12:41 p.m. 7:51 a.m. – Martin Trainer, Cody Gribble, Kevin Streelman
12:52 p.m. 8:02 a.m. – Wyndham Clark, Joseph Bramlett, Greyson Sigg
1:03 p.m. 8:13 a.m. – Chad Ramey, Jim Herman, Nick Taylor
1:14 p.m. 8:24 a.m. – Cameron Champ, Andrew Landry, Tyler Duncan
1:25 p.m. 8:35 a.m. (FG) – Stewart Cink, Robert Streb, Troy Merritt
1:36 p.m. 8:46 a.m. – James Hahn, Adam Schenk, Mark Hubbard
1:47 p.m. 8:57 a.m. – Dylan Frittelli, Ben Martin, David Lipsky
1:58 p.m. 9:08 a.m. – Brent Grant, Carl Yuan, Cole Hammer
2:09 p.m. 9:19 a.m. – Zecheng Dou, Trevor Cone, Danny Guise
2:20 p.m. 9:30 a.m. – Nick Hardy, Austin Eckroat, Greg Koch
2:31 p.m. 9:41 a.m. – Michael Gligic, Augusto Nunez, Nick Gabrelcik