2024 The Valspar Championship: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

The golf world is currently calming down from the exciting golf they witnessed, all thanks to Scottie Scheffler’s spectacular display at THE PLAYERS Championship. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour is here with yet another exhilarating event and talented golfers at the Copperhead Course. The Valspar Championship will kick off on March 21 and will see itself end with its final round on Sunday, March 24.

The tournament, which is the 13th one on the 2024 PGA Tour calendar, will see the field of athletes teeing it off for a cut from the total $8.4 million prize purse. Regardless of the number of golfers participating, only one person will, at the end of the day, emerge victorious at the same to clinch the title and trophy!

The top contenders at The Valspar Championship

The final stop at the Florida Swing of the Jay Monahan-led circuit will have as many as 156 golfers duking it out for the reward at the Innisbrook Resort, as opposed to the usual 144. This was done to increase the playing time for the many Tour members with fully exempt status. However, the field, as of Monday afternoon, is set at 155 owing to Ton Kim’s withdrawal from the same. Regardless, there will undoubtedly be a lot of top contenders aiming for the win.

1. Taylor Moore: Currently ranked No. 62 in the world, the 30-year-old won the 2023 edition of the Valspar Championship with a score of 10 under 274. Although he has yet to make his mark on the 2024 PGA Tour calendar, the golfer has managed to finish once inside the top 25 at the Sentry in the seven starts he made during the season. Nevertheless, the athlete will be hoping to clinch his fourth professional victory and the second on the PGA Tour, all the while hoping to become the third person to successfully defend the title at the event.

2. Xander Schauffele: The world No. 5 put up a scintillating display of golf at the recently ended event, which is deemed ‘The Fifth Major’. Fascinatingly, he was able to finish in the runner-up position all the while carding a total of 22 birdies and an eagle over the four days. What’s more, the American pro has managed to finish a total of four times inside the top 10 in the six starts he made in 2024, excluding the PLAYERS. Underestimating him is the worst thing any golfer on the field can do.

3. Brian Harman: The 37-year-old, out of the eight starts he made in 2024 on both the PGA Tour and the European circuit, has finished a total of four times inside the top 20, the best of which came while playing at the TPC Sawgrass in the T2 position. Thus, he would be even more determined to clinch the title of champion and increase his tally of wins to four on the Monahan-led circuit, the last of which came at the 2023 Open Championship. He is undoubtedly a favorite to win the event, especially after his recent performance.

4. Justin Thomas: Although he missed the cut at the recent tournament and the Genesis Invitational, Thomas has managed to finish inside the top 12 in the rest of the four events out of his six starts in 2024. His best, out of the same, came from the American Express, where the golfer was able to finish at T3. What’s more, before the year’s start, he placed a total of three times inside the top-5 in the three starts he made from September at the Fortinet Championship, the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and the Hero World Challenge. Undoubtedly a talented athlete on the greens.

READ MORE – Brian Harman Gets Candid Over Perks of Being Under Camera Spotlight: ‘They Want To Film Me’

5. Sam Burns: The 27-year-old is one of the four golfers who have won the tournament two times, in 2021 and 2022 and the only athlete apart from Paul Casey (2018, and 2019) who has successfully defended his title of champion. Moreover, the pro, who is currently No. 19 in the world, has a good record in 2024 with four top-10 finishes out of the seven starts, the best of which was T3 at the WM Phoenix Open. They say the third time’s the charm and he will surely be looking forward to another win on the PGA Tour.

A challenge for the PGA Tour Pros at Innisbrook Resort

The par-71, 7209-yard layout is ranked as the 7th toughest course on the PGA Tour and is one of the most famous of the four courses that Innisbrook contains. The grounds have played host to the Valspar Championship for a long time and thus have many pine tree-lined fairways, rolling terrains, and wildlife, among others.

Meanwhile, the course would indubitably prove to be a challenge for the many professional golfers who are set to tee it up on Thursday. What’s more, the presence of the Snake Pit, which helps close the inward half, would surely test the mettle of the athletes. The golf world sure is in for an exciting weekend!

ALSO READ – How Much Did Scottie Scheffler Make in 2024? The World No.1’s ‘Prize Money Record’ Explored