Florida, are you ready? The Valspar Championship is just around the corner, taking place from March 20-23, 2025, at the picturesque Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor. The Copperhead Course, a challenging par-71 layout stretching 7,352 yards, like TPC Sawgrass. It is set for a $8.7 million purse with the top golfer bagging $1,566,000. As one of the most highly anticipated events on the PGA Tour, the Valspar Championship promises to deliver an electrifying experience, with challenging holes and world-class talent.

The Copperhead Course, with its notorious “Snake Pit” stretch, will undoubtedly test the mettle of even the most seasoned golfers. In 2015, Jordan Spieth escaped this zone unscathed with three straight pars at 16, 17 and 18 in the final round. A steady victory. Speaking of which, can Peter Malnati pull a Sam Burns this year with a consecutive win? Well, while you wait for the fun to begin, here are the top 5 golfers in this no-cut event this year:

1. Xander Schauffele

“Really bad,” is how Xander Schauffele candidly described his game over the first two rounds at TPC Sawgrass, yet the World No.3 still managed to extend his cut streak in narrow fashion, making the cut on the number, and now looks set to play this year’s Valspar Championship, with his name appearing in the initial field for what is one of three PGA Tour events left before The Masters. Despite showing signs of rust since returning from a rib injury, Schauffele has demonstrated his great battling qualities to make the cut at both last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship, arriving at the latter on a streak of 58 straight made cuts, the longest cut run since Tiger Woods’ incredible streak of 142 straight that spanned from 1998 to 2005.

With his impressive ability to grind out results despite not being at his best, Schauffele is shaping up as a top contender for the Valspar Championship.

2. Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas comes into the Valspar Championship with a strong affinity for the Copperhead Course, which he has previously stated is one of his favorites on the TOUR. Thomas has a solid record at Innisbrook, with two top-10s in his last three starts, and has already notched three top-10s this season, including a runner-up finish at The American Express. His impressive 10-under 62 at TPC Sawgrass during THE PLAYERS has also set him up for a strong run at the Valspar Championship.

3. Peter Malnati

Peter Malnati, the defending champion at the Valspar Championship, boasts a strong record at the event, with one win, an average finish of 31st, and an average score of 4-under across his seven recent appearances. Malnati’s 2024 victory was marked by impressive performances in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (4th), SG: Putting (3rd), and driving accuracy, hitting 65.28% of greens in regulation. This season, however, has been a different story, with Malnati struggling to find his footing, having missed five of eight cuts and currently sitting 170th in the FedExCup standings with 22 points. Despite this, Malnati will be looking to draw on his past success at the Valspar Championship to spark a turnaround in his season.

4. Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth is back in action at the Valspar Championship, an event where he has experienced a mix of highs and lows. As a past champion, having won the title in 2015, Spieth knows what it takes to succeed at the Copperhead Course. However, his recent form has been inconsistent, with a missed cut in 2024 and a third-place finish in 2023. As he continues his comeback from surgery last summer, Spieth will be looking to draw on his past experiences and find his footing at Innisbrook.

5. Tommy Fleetwood

And last but not least, Tommy Fleetwood is undoubtedly one of the top contenders in the Valspar Championship field, boasting an impressive run of form that’s hard to ignore. Over his last five tournaments, Fleetwood has consistently demonstrated his skills, finishing in the top five once, within five shots of the leader twice, and posting better-than-average scores four times, with an average score of 7-under. His recent performances, including an 11th-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a 14th-place finish at THE PLAYERS Championship, only reinforce his status as a force to be reckoned with, making him a compelling pick to contend for the title at the Valspar Championship.

Some of the other top contenders vying for the 2025 Valspar Championship title include Sam Burns, a back-to-back winner who secured the 2021 and 2022 titles, Corey Conners, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry, and Will Zalatoris. With their impressive track records and recent performances, they are certainly among the ones to watch at the Valspar Championship. Well, who do you think will win the tournament this year? Let us know in the comment section below!