Power Rankings: Valspar Championship

If you already haven’t taken the time to confirm, the answer is yes. Someone other than Scottie Scheffler will win the Valspar Championship this week. No doubt that there was at least one entrant in the field who was curious that he wasn’t in it after the world’s top-ranked talent won consecutive tournaments.

A larger grouping than originally was planned is assembling on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida. For the explanation, details of the host course and more, continue reading below the ranking of those projected to contend.

With the amount of daylight in the third week of March at this latitude northwest of Tampa, the Valspar typically hosts 144 golfers. However, to increase playing time for as many PGA TOUR members with fully exempt status as possible, which means looping in all commitments in the Reshuffle, the tournament agreed to expand to as many as 156.

As of Monday afternoon, the field stands at 155 but alternates will not be called unless it drops below 144. If necessary to achieve the same objective, this provision also will apply to next week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open and the Valero Texas Open the week after that.

The Copperhead Course is a par 71 with five par 3s and a customary set of four par 5s. The anchor leg of the Florida Swing stood as the hardest of the series in relation to par a year ago when the field averaged 71.935. That also easily was highest among all par 71s throughout the 2022-23 season. The challenge isn’t unusual, though. That it averaged below par a few weeks later in the spring of 2021 and in its more familiar slot in March of 2022 was a surprise.

No matter what, the parkland track has teeth, so all red numbers will have felt well-earned. Although Copperhead can stretch to 7,340 yards, ball-striking is at a premium because overseeded rough is allowed to grow to 3½ inches and overseeded Bermudagrass greens average 5,800 square feet. The putting surfaces also are allowed to reach 12½ feet on the Stimpmeter.

Then there’s the Snake Pit that closes the inward half. Nos. 16, 17 and 18 collaborate for a par-4-3-4 test that averaged +0.593 strokes to par last year. A proper goal for the wannabe winner will be to arrive at it with the lead so as to swing over it unscathed to paydirt. Taylor Moore played it in bogey-free, 1-under for the week, with his only birdie coming on the par-4 16th in the finale.

A strong start also could be imperative. Favorable conditions with manageable breezes are expected for the opening round. That changes considerably as the threat for rain and storms encroach by Friday when winds could gust in excess of 30 mph for a few hours. It’ll calm relatively on the weekend. Daytime temperatures will climb into the 70s.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

MONDAY: Power Rankings
TUESDAY*: Sleepers
WEDNESDAY: Golfbet Insider
SUNDAY: Points and Payouts; Medical Extensions; Qualifiers; Reshuffle

* Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.