For the last leg of the Florida Swing, we head to the Copperhead Course (par 71, 7,352 yards, POA Trivialis greens) of the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor for the Valspar Championship. This is a field of 156 golfers and after the first two rounds, there will be a standard Top 65 and ties cut.
Below, I have featured a make-cut parlay to consider for the Valspar Championship.
Corey Conners + Shane Lowry + J.T. Poston to make the cut (+238)
Conners has been in the mix for wins during the Florida swing, finishing T3 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T6th at THE PLAYERS Championship in his last two starts. Conners gained strokes across the board at both these Florida tournaments that featured world-class fields and he shot under par in all eight of his rounds. This season, Conners has yet to miss a cut in seven starts and he has totaled three top-six finishes. The Canadian finished T21 in his only start at the Copperhead Course in 2021 and he should add another high finish to his impressive resume in the Sunshine State this week. Among the players in this week’s field who have competed in Florida more than once, Conners ranks first in strokes gained per round.
Lowry has been one of the best players in the world over the last year and his -230 odds to make the cut this week simply don’t reflect his safety. Lowry is the No. 15 ranked player in the world and he has only failed to make the cut twice in his last 29 starts worldwide. During the Florida swing, Lowry has been outstanding, finishing T11 at the Cognizant Classic, T7 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and T20 at THE PLAYERS Championship. For the season, the Irishman ranks eighth in total strokes gained and seventh in both SGT2G and SG APP. Lowry has finished T49 and T12 in his two visits to the Copperhead Course, and he should have a career-best showing at the par 71 this week.
Poston has made 3-of-5 cuts at the Copperhead Course with his best result being a T10 two years ago. Poston just finished T33 at THE PLAYERS Championship last week, while gaining strokes with both his irons and putter. The veteran has now advanced to the weekend in 10 of his last 11 starts and nine of these finishes have come inside the Top 40, including his win at the Shriner Children’s Open this past October. This marked Poston’s third win on the PGA TOUR and the 31-year-old should safely make the cut at the Valspar Championship this week. Poston ranks seventh in par five performance this season, which sets him up perfectly for his return to the Copperhead Course. Of the last five winners at this par 71, three either led their field or finished runner-up in par five efficiency for the week.
