2022 Valspar Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Innisbrook

The Louisianian Sam Burns plays some of his best golf in the southeast U.S. Especially so at the Valspar Championship, where he’s 3-for-3 making the cut with all top-30s led by a win in 2021.

Burns’ first PGA Tour victory came by three shots over Keegan Bradley. The LSU alum posted 67-63-69-68 to win at 17-under, coming up one shy of matching Vijay Singh’s tournament record when he won by five in 2004.

Burns was solid in all facets in the win, including with the flat stick. He was third in the field in strokes gained putting (9.096).

“I think these greens are all Bermuda and in the past we have had some overseed in there and these are straight Bermuda and that’s what I grew up on. So I’m just comfortable around those,” Burns was transcribed by ASAP Sports in 2021. “I think just playing on them every day back home, you’re used to seeing grain, you kind of don’t even think about it, but you know it’s there and you’re kind of calculating it in. So I think I just feel comfortable on these greens.”

If this were any other non-major tournament where he wasn’t the defending champ, Burns might be taking the week off to recoup. He played his way into the final threesome of the final round of the Players Championship last week.

Burns subsequently played his way out of contention with a 76 to finish T-26th. It was a disappointing finish to an otherwise solid week featuring rounds of 68-69-71.

He also was T-9th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational the week prior, so he’s trending in the right direction after a surprising three straight missed cuts on the West Coast swing.

The 25-year-old ranks 19th on the PGA Tour in total strokes gained (1.24) and is in the positive in all SG categories.

I fear the rigors of being the defending champion on short prep will keep Mr. Burns from winning the Valspar back-to-back, but I still envision an excellent week.