The Valspar Championship has done it again! Despite being the fourth and last event on the PGA TOUR’s “Florida Swing” and following back-to-back elevated prize money and FedEx Cup points events, this week’s tournament will still see 24 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Last year’s PGA and Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele joins multiple major winners Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in the $8.7 million competition at Innisbrook Resort near Tampa Bay, with a first-place paycheck of $1,566,000.
Florida State standout Luke Clanton, who earned his player privileges through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches two weeks ago, is also in action as are Akshay Bhatia, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Sahith Theegala.
The 7,352-yard Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor designed by Larry Packard, famous for 16, 17, and 18 – the “Snake Pit”, one of the toughest finishing stretches in all of golf.
Many top players consider the layout to be a great tune-up for The Masters just three weeks away. It’s a demanding course from tee to green, placing a premium on both ball-striking and short game around pure Bermuda greens. With so many tight doglegs and some of the most challenging par-3s on TOUR, it’s a course where long iron hitters tend to shine.
Peter Malnati shot 12-under par to win the Valspar Championship in 2024 and describes himself as a grinder, and not a so-called journeyman golfer. The 37-year-old pro captured his second career TOUR victory, 9 years after his first, and as you might expect was overcome with emotion during the trophy presentation.
Promoted by organizers as “The Most Colorful PGA Tour Tournament in the World,” the Valspar was recognized by the PGA Tour for being the “Most Fan-First Event” of 2024.
Valspar Paints, a division of Sherwin-Williams, recently announced a title sponsorship extension through 2030, meaning they will be part of the Tampa Bay community for at least 16 consecutive years.
“I actually believe the reason we are extending is because of the community here, said Sara Hackney, Valspar marketing manager, at the tournament’s preview media day last month. It’s the Tampa Bay-Clearwater-St. Pete community, the Copperheads here, the tournament staff. All of that helped us renew.”
The Valspar Championship, the most colorful PGA TOUR tournament in the world, takes place at the Innisbrook Golf and Spa Resort in Florida.
Valspar Championship Event Coverage
Television Coverage:
- Thursday and Friday (March 20-21): Golf Channel will broadcast live coverage from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
- Saturday and Sunday (March 22-23): Golf Channel and NBC will split the third and final rounds. Golf Channel’s coverage runs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, followed by NBC from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
Streaming Options:
- PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+: Subscribers can enjoy extensive coverage, including featured groups and holes, through ESPN+.
- Peacock: NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, will simulcast NBC’s weekend coverage from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
- NBC Sports App and Website: During the broadcast windows, live tournament streaming will be available on the NBC Sports app and NBCSports.com.
- Golf Channel App: Viewers can stream its coverage through the Golf Channel app during its broadcast times.
