Valspar Championship Power Rankings: Top ten golfers at Innisbrook

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PALM HARBOR, FL – MARCH 15: Jordan Spieth celebrates with his trophy after winning the Valspar Championship on the third playoff hole during the final round at Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course on March 15, 2015 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

For most Tour players, 11 top-20 finishes in 12 starts would be career-defining. For Jordan Spieth, that span has been somewhat of a drought.

We’ve grown accustomed to see Spieth win at about a monthly rate, yet the 24-year-old is seeking his first win since the Open Championship in July.

Spieth’s putting has taken a (likely temporary) step back early this season. That’s contributed to him digging himself into a hole early in tournaments.

He’s 156th on Tour in first-round scoring at 71.5, which is at least three strokes higher than any other round. Fortunately for him, he’s third in second-round scoring and inside the top-20 both weekend days.

That’s why he’s so reliable for fantasy teams as he’ll rarely throw out a total clunker.

The Valspar Championship is a good place to hunt down the winner’s circle again. In one of his first professional starts, Spieth tied for seventh in 2013. He beat Sean O’Hair and Patrick Reed in a playoff in 2015 and has finished top-20 in 2014 and 2016.

The Copperhead course is a thinking man’s course that pairs well with Spieth’s attention to detail in his game.

“You have to work the ball both ways here,” Spieth said in 2015. “It requires all sorts of shots, punch shots, launching it in the air and obviously some discipline on the greens.”

Next: Phil Mickelson ends win drought at WGC-Mexico Championship

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