Valspar Championship Round 2: Sungjae Im Won't Go Away, Hovland Goes Home

If Round 1 was Sungjae Im announcing he’s back, Round 2 was him proving he can grind when the ball-striking isn’t quite there. The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook got firm, fast, and windy on Friday afternoon — and Im handled it like a guy who’s been here before.

Which, to be fair, is exactly what we were hoping for after those two straight missed cuts coming off injury.

Im Goes Ugly-Early, Finishes Pretty

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Im’s front nine was a struggle. Three bogeys against two birdies for a 1-over 37. The wrist was reportedly fine — it was the greens and the wind that were giving him fits.

But here’s the thing about Im that separates him from a lot of guys on Tour: he doesn’t spiral. The back nine was a clinic in patience. Birdies at the par-5 11th and par-4 12th got him back on track, and then the dagger — a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th to break a tie with Lipsky and take the solo lead into the weekend.

“I want to really focus and be patient because I have a chance this weekend,” Im said through a translator. “This weekend, I think the winds are going to blow and the greens are going to get more firm.”

At 9-under 133, he’s got a one-shot cushion. Not enormous, but on this course, that might as well be three.

David Lipsky Is Doing David Lipsky Things

Lipsky shot a 65 playing in the morning wave — the best round of the day by a mile. He birdied four of his first six holes, added two more on the back, and parred the brutal finishing stretch without blinking.

“It was excellent. I did everything well,” Lipsky said. “Missed it in the right spots, holed the putts early on to get some momentum going.”

He’s still winless on the PGA Tour, but rounds like this are how you break through. If Im falters on Moving Day, Lipsky is right there.

The Middle of the Pack Is Stacked

Chandler Blanchet and Doug Ghim sit at 7-under after matching 66 and 67 respectively. Ghim made an eagle on 11 before giving back strokes with bogeys on 15 and 16 — the Copperhead stretch that eats souls.

At 5-under, you’ve got a crew: Brandt Snedeker (who cooled off with a 72 after Thursday’s fireworks), Matt Fitzpatrick (fresh off a runner-up at The Players Championship), Jordan Smith, Marco Penge, and Alex Smalley.

Brooks Koepka: Quiet and Dangerous

Koepka shot a 67 to sit at 4-under, tied for 10th. He missed a 3-footer for birdie on his last hole, which is the kind of thing that would annoy any human on the planet but especially a guy with Koepka’s ego.

“Just keep doing what I’m doing,” Koepka said. “Playing well, like the way I’m striking it.”

He’s five back. On a course this brutal with weekend winds forecasted, that’s very much in play.

Spieth Survives (Barely)

Jordan Spieth went out and immediately shot 2-over on his front nine. Classic Spieth chaos. But then — also classic Spieth — he went 3-under on the back to post a 70 and keep himself alive at 3-under.

“I definitely hit it better yesterday and putted better today,” Spieth said. “So, just try to put them both together on the weekend.”

If Spieth ever puts both together on the same day, he’s winning by eight. We’ve been waiting for that day for three years.

Hovland’s Title Defense Is Officially Done

Defending champion Viktor Hovland missed the cut with rounds of 70-75. No drama, no near-misses — just a flat week on a course that requires precision and patience, two things Hovland’s game has been missing lately.

What to Watch This Weekend

The forecast calls for more wind, firmer greens, and a Copperhead Course that’s going to bare its teeth. Im’s lead is slim, Lipsky is playing the best golf of his career, and there’s a former major champion five shots back who plays his best when he’s chasing.

Saturday’s going to be good.