Valspar Championship 2026 Preview: Schauffele, Koepka, and the Copperhead Course

The Florida Swing wraps up this week at Innisbrook Resort, and the Copperhead Course is ready to humble some of the best players in the world. Again.

The Field

Xander Schauffele (+1000) enters as the betting favorite after a top-3 finish at The Players Championship. He looked phenomenal through two rounds at TPC Sawgrass before cooling off on the weekend, and he’ll be looking to carry that early-week form into all four rounds this time.

But the name generating the most buzz? Matt Fitzpatrick (+1475), who was one Cameron Young birdie on 17 away from winning The Players outright. Fitzpatrick’s been inside the top 25 in four of his last five starts and told fans who booed him at Sawgrass to “reassess.” A fired-up Fitzpatrick is a dangerous Fitzpatrick.

Viktor Hovland (+1850) returns as the defending champion, while Brooks Koepka (+2500) continues his fascinating comeback season. Justin Thomas (+2150), Patrick Cantlay (+2050), and Jordan Spieth (+2600) round out a field that’s deeper than the odds suggest.

One notable absence: Akshay Bhatia withdrew on Wednesday, removing one of the pre-tournament favorites from the mix.

The Surprise of the Season

Jacob Bridgeman (+2150) deserves a spotlight here. The 25-year-old was a “largely unknown commodity” entering 2026, according to the PGA Tour’s own analysis. Now he’s a tournament winner (Genesis Invitational), has a solo third at last year’s Valspar, and just posted a T-5 at The Players. He’s gone from “who?” to a legitimate Presidents Cup candidate in three months. The value on Bridgeman has been eaten up, but he’s worth watching regardless.

Why Copperhead Is Different

The Copperhead Course isn’t your typical Florida layout. It’s tight, tree-lined, and demands precision off the tee. The iconic “Snake Pit” — holes 16, 17, and 18 — has destroyed more final rounds than any closing stretch outside of Amen Corner.

This is a second-shot golf course. Bombers don’t get a huge advantage here. If you can’t hit approach shots to tight pins and get up-and-down from thick Bermuda rough, Copperhead will eat you alive.

How to Watch

• Thursday & Friday: PGA Tour Live from 7:30 AM ET (ESPN+), Golf Channel 2-6 PM ET
• Saturday: Golf Channel 1-3 PM ET, NBC 3-6 PM ET
• Sunday: Golf Channel 1-3 PM ET, NBC 3-6 PM ET

Every Shot Live is available on ESPN+ for this event — worth it if you want to follow specific players.

Meanwhile in South Africa…

LIV Golf is also in action this week with LIV Golf South Africa at The Club at Steyn City in Johannesburg — the league’s first-ever event on the African continent. Coming off Bryson DeChambeau’s wild playoff win in Singapore, the LIV season is heating up. The thick Kikuyu grass at Steyn City should provide a completely different challenge from the Southeast Asian swing.

Our Pick

Fitzpatrick at +1475. He’s playing the best golf of anyone in this field right now, and the chip on his shoulder from The Players is only going to fuel him. Copperhead rewards precision and course management over power, which plays right into Fitz’s strengths.

Sleeper: Ryo Hisatsune at +3900. Quietly posted a T-13 at The Players with 27 straight bogey-free holes over the weekend. The kind of steady ball-striking that Copperhead rewards.

First round tee times begin Thursday morning. Follow along on PGA Tour Live on ESPN+.