The PGA Tour heads slightly southwest, from the Jacksonville area to metro Tampa, for the 21st edition of the Valspar Championship – the fourth and final stop on the annual Florida Swing.

Considering it falls after the high-end PLAYERS Championship, the field at the acclaimed Innisbrook Resort is surprisingly solid, featuring 13 of the top-25 ranked players in the world, including defending champion Sam Burns.

Headliners include Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, among others.

As we do each week, here’s a round up of information and historical data to get you prepped for the week ahead at the 2022 Valspar.

2021 Valspar Championship

This week’s Primer is powered by Taylormade Golf Store at Amazon.

The Skinny

Valspar Championship
Dates: Mar. 17-20, 2022
Tour Debut: 2000
PGA TOUR Week: 20th (of 43)
Course: Innisbrook (Copperhead)
Where: Palm Harbor, Fla.
Distance: Par 71, 7209 yards
Architect: Larry Packard
Field: 144 players
Format: Stroke, 72-holes
Cut: 36 holes
Purse: $7,800,000
Winning Share: $1,404,000
FedExCup Pts: 500
OWGR Pts: 56
Trophy: Bronze Paint Brush/Golf Ball (Malcolm DeMille)
2021 Champion: Sam Burns

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: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+); Sat-Sun: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+)

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 | 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 has held down aside from two editions (2019 and 2021).

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, Paul Casey, and Sam Burns.

History: Tournament Names

• Valspar Championship (2014-22)
• 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, 2022) Florida Swing
• April (2021)

History: Recent Winners

2021: Sam Burns (-17)
2020: COVID (-19)
2019: Paul Casey (-8)
2018: Paul Casey (-10)
2017: Adam Hadwin (-8)
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

Sam Burns shot a final-round 3-under 67 to claim a three-shot victory at the 2021 Valspar Championship.

The then 24-year old Louisiana native entered Sunday’s finale at Innisbrook Resort tied for the lead on 14 under with Keegan Bradley, and through 12 more holes at the Copperhead course, the overnight leaders remained tied at 17 under. But on the par-3 13th, Bradley landed his tee ball in the water, leading to a double-bogey 5, then dropped another shot on 15 to fall three back.

And that’s how it ended.

Burns finished 17-under par 267, while Bradley was runner-up on 14 under.

Final Top-5 Finishers

Pos-Player-Score (Final Rd)
1. Sam Burns -17 (-3)
2. Keegan Bradley -14 (E)
3. Viktor Hovland -13 (-6)
3. Cameron Tringale -13 (-3)
5. Abraham Ancer -12 (-2)

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 10 in the Official Golf World Rankings, including Collin Morikawa (No. 2), Viktor Hovland (3), Justin Thomas (8), Xander Schauffele (9) and Dustin Johnson (10).

Other top-25 ranked stars include Louis Oosthuizen (13), Tyrrell Hatton (15), Sam Burns (17) – the defending champion, Joaquin Niemann (18), Abraham Ancer (20), Brooks Koepka (21) and two-time Valspar winner Paul Casey (24).

In addition to Burns and Casey, former Valspar winners in the field include Gary Woodland (2011), Luke Donald (2012), Kevin Streelman (2013), Charl Schwartzel (2016) and Adam Hadwin (2017).

Other top-50 ranked marquee names include: Matt Fitzpatrick (26), Jason Kokrak (27), Kevin Kisner (33), Webb Simpson (35), Shane Lowry (36) and Tommy Fleetwood (47), among others.

Odds to Win

1. Justin Thomas (10-1)
2. Collin Morikawa (12-1)
2. Viktor Hovland (12-1)
4. Dustin Johnson (14-1)
5. Xander Schauffele (18-1)

Full Field: 2022 Valspar Championship

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead) | Palm Harbor, FL | Mar 17-20, 2022

Carey Hoffman contributed to this report.

Credits: PGA Tour Media, Getty Images, Golf Advisor