RG's "Fairway Focus" is a weekly look at golf's major tours. PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights. In this installment, Elliott previews the Valspar at the famed Innisbrook Resort and the Copperhead Resort.
Valspar Championship Preview: Florida Swing Finale Brings Stellar Field to Copperhead
The PGA TOUR's Florida Swing concludes this week at the Valspar Championship, as the TOUR's best make their final trek across the Sunshine State to the Tampa area. Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course, long considered a player favorite, is ready to challenge a strong field featuring several top-ranked players looking to build momentum heading into next month's Masters Tournament.
The Host Course: Copperhead's Challenge
The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort presents a unique test compared to typical Florida layouts. The tree-lined Larry Packard design features rolling hills and oak tree doglegs that create a Midwest country club feel rather than a tropical paradise. Playing at 7,352 yards (par 71), the course includes five par-3s and four par-5s with a 36-35 nine-hole split.
New for 2025, the 9th hole will play from a different tee box, adding 12 yards to the hole and bringing bunkers more into play. The tournament yardage now matches TPC Sawgrass from last week, making it the longest par-71 course played so far this season.
The course's signature "Snake Pit" finish—holes 16, 17, and 18—ranks as the third toughest final three-hole stretch in the ShotLink era outside of major championships. The overseeded fairways average just 25 yards wide in landing areas, three yards tighter than TPC Sawgrass, while the Poa trivialis greens will run at 12+ feet on the Stimpmeter.
Players to Watch
Xander Schauffele continues his return from injury after finishing last among those who made the cut at THE PLAYERS Championship. Despite his struggles at TPC Sawgrass, Schauffele has shown an affinity for the Copperhead Course, finishing T12 in 2022 and T5 in 2024, including a final-round 65 last year.
Justin Thomas has long considered Copperhead one of his favorite TOUR stops. Thomas has two top-10s in his last three starts at Innisbrook and tied the course record at TPC Sawgrass last Friday with a 10-under 62. With three top-10s already this season, including a runner-up at The American Express, Thomas enters as one of the favorites.
Peter Malnati returns to defend his 2024 title, which he won by two shots over Cameron Young. The victory ended an eight-year winless drought for Malnati, who had previously missed the cut in six of his seven Valspar appearances. He's hoping a return to the site of his triumph will spark a turnaround, as he's missed five of eight cuts so far this season.
Sam Burns, a two-time champion at Innisbrook (2021-2022), returns looking to recapture his Copperhead magic. Burns has an impressive 69.09 stroke average at the venue and has posted 17 of 22 rounds at par or better, including 14 in the 60s. Forty percent of Burns' five TOUR wins have come on this layout, making him a perpetual threat here despite missing the cut in 2024.
My Picks
Corey Conners ranks third in Strokes Gained: Approach from the 2024 season, a critical stat at Copperhead where eight of the last nine winners ranked inside the top 15 in that category. Conners enters in excellent form after a T6 at THE PLAYERS and a solo third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Valspar champion, has made the cut in five of seven appearances here, all resulting in T20 or better, including T3 in 2023. Though he missed the cut last year, Spieth has posted 18 of 24 rounds at par or better at Copperhead and continues his comeback from surgery with two top-10 finishes in five events this season.
Shane Lowry tied for 12th in Strokes Gained: Approach last season and enters the week ranked 15th in the world. Lowry has shown consistent form this season and should thrive on a course that rewards precision iron play and strategic thinking.
My sleeper pick is Sam Ryder, who comes in with momentum after a T14 finish at THE PLAYERS Championship. Ryder's game suits the demanding Copperhead layout, and his recent form suggests he could be ready for a breakthrough performance.
Masters Implications
With the Masters just three weeks away, several players are making their final push to qualify for the year's first major. There are only two ways left to play into the Masters: win a PGA TOUR event or crack the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking after next week's Texas Children's Houston Open.
Players on the bubble include Daniel Berger (No. 41), Stephan Jaeger (No. 44), Ben Griffin (No. 52), and Michael Kim (No. 53). Rickie Fowler, currently No. 102 in the OWGR, would need a victory to secure his spot at Augusta National.
TGL Monday: New York Golf Club Upsets Los Angeles
The atmosphere at SoFi Center was noticeably different Monday night as New York Golf Club met the moment under pressure and continued their monthlong hot streak with a 6-4 upset victory over top-ranked Los Angeles Golf Club in the TGL semifinals.
Rickie Fowler led the way for NYGC with his best individual effort of the season, making crucial putts throughout the match. The victory was sealed when Tommy Fleetwood's 5-foot birdie putt to keep Los Angeles alive lipped out at the 14th hole, bringing LAGC's season to a heartbreaking end.
"We're all pretty happy," Xander Schauffele said after the match. "We thought it was possible, but we knew it was gonna be a long road, so we're definitely happy to be here."
New York has now gone 3-0-1 over its last four matches after starting the season 0-2, showing impressive resilience to reach the finals.
TGL Tuesday: Atlanta Drive GC Advances to Finals
In Tuesday's semifinal, No. 3 seed Atlanta Drive GC got revenge for its lone loss of the year by knocking out No. 2 The Bay Golf Club in a dominant 9-3 victory. Patrick Cantlay lived up to his "Patty Ice" nickname, delivering a clutch shot on the par-3 12th hole to clinch the win with three holes to play.
The Bay was dealt a significant blow when Wyndham Clark suffered a neck injury and couldn't compete. Clark had played all five matches this season and led the league in most statistical categories.
Atlanta and New York will now face off in next week's best-of-three Finals Series at SoFi Center, with Match 1 scheduled for Monday, March 24, at 9 p.m. ET. Atlanta defeated New York 4-0 when the teams played in January, but NYGC has been a different team since then.
"They obviously are starting to play well at the right time," Justin Thomas said of New York. "I like our team, and I like our chances. I'm excited. It's gonna be a lot of fun."
Brendon Elliott, a distinguished PGA Professional, is best known for his dedication to the growth and development of junior golf. With nearly three decades of experience, Elliott has been recognized multiple times as one of the best instructors, both regionally and nationally.
Elliott's crowning achievement was being named the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award Winner, a testament to his exceptional skills and dedication. He is the founder of Little Linksters, an award-winning youth golf academy and nonprofit that works with kids of all abilities to help them develop a passion for golf. His innovative teaching methods and love for the game have made significant impacts on students and the broader golfing community.
Additionally, Brendon, a Golf Writers Association of America member, has become a renowned freelance golf writer, further solidifying his position as a top professional in the industry.
