The Copperhead Course (par 71, 7,352 yards, POA Trivialis greens) of the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, is hosting the Valspar Championship this week. This is the last of four straight events in Florida and Viktor Hovland (-11) is the defending champion of the Valspar Championship. The Copperhead Course has been the only venue to host the Valspar Championship since its inception in 2000. This week’s field consists of 133 golfers and there will be a top-65 and ties cut after the first two rounds.
Below, I have featured my two favorite bets for the Valspar Championship on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Justin Thomas to win (+2250)
Thomas always looks forward to teeing it up at the Copperhead Course. The 32-year-old has competed at each of the last eight Valspar Championships and finished inside the top-18 in six of these starts. Thomas finished T-10 in 2015 and 2023, T-3 in 2022 and runner-up by one stroke last season. In the final two rounds of this runner-up, Thomas shot a 6-under 65 and a 5-under 66. The Alabama product ranks eighth among the field in strokes gained per round at the Copperhead Course and he ranks fourth among the field in strokes gained per round at Florida courses.
Thomas has won twice in the Sunshine State and he currently lives in Jupiter. Thomas’ love for competing in Florida was on full display last week when he finished T-8 at THE PLAYERS Championship. Thomas gained strokes on approach and with his putter at TPC Sawgrass and he carded 4-under 68s in each of the first two rounds. This was a very encouraging performance, as prior to this, Thomas missed the cut in his season debut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. A trip back to TPC Sawgrass was the perfect remedy for Thomas and he is a real threat to win this week if his irons and putter can stay hot.
Ricky Castillo for a top-30 finish including ties (+122)
Castillo finished T-12 at last year’s Valspar Championship, including a 4-under 67 to begin the event. Fast forward a year later and the former Florida Gator is sitting at a career-best No. 90 in the world golf rankings, which is 173 spots higher than his ranking heading into last year’s Valspar Championship. Castillo just secured his first PGA TOUR win at the Puerto Rico Open two weeks ago and prior to that breakthrough victory, he finished fifth at the Florida-based Cognizant Classic.
Castillo has made 4-of-6 cuts in the Sunshine State and he has made seven cuts in a row entering this week. Castillo has shot under par in 21 of his 28 rounds during this cut streak and he ranks ninth in total strokes gained when we compare this field’s last 24 rounds.
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