The 2026 Valspar Championship represents the final stop on this year's Florida Swing as the year's first major, The Masters, draws nearer.
Following an enthralling Players Championship, the PGA Tour returns to the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, where a significantly strong field will take on a stern test in Innisbrook's Copperhead Course (Par-71, 7,352 yards).
Seven of the top 20 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are set to tee it up at this year'sValspar Championship, including Xander Schauffele, fresh off his third-place finish at TPC Sawgrass last week, J.J. Spaun, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ben Griffin, and defending champion Viktor Hovland. Genesis Invitational winner Jacob Bridgeman is also set to tee it up as a part of this week's 135-man field.
Who is poised to have success at the Copperhead Course this week? Let's make some picks and predictions for the final event of this year's Florida Swing.
2026 Valspar Championship picks and predictions
Sleeper pick for the Valspar Championship: Matti Schmid (+13000)
Matti Schmid comes into the Valspar Championship having picked up two top-10 finishes in his last three PGA Tour starts, including at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches at the beginning of March, where he finished in a tie for ninth. Still in search of his first win on the PGA Tour, Schmid finished runner-up at last year's Charles Schwab Challenge and has finished T28 or better on his last two visits to the Copperhead Course.
Sleeper pick for the Valspar Championship: Austin Smotherman (+4900)
Smotherman comes into the Valspar Championship in impressive form, having finished T13 and T2 in two of his last three starts. He has made the cut in each of his two previous starts at the Copperhead Course, finishing T25 in 2022 and tying for 36th on his last visit in 2023. Smotherman comes into the week ranked in the top five in the field, according to Data Golf, in both approach and from tee to green over his last 20 rounds.
Pick to win the Valspar Championship: Ryo Hisatsune (+3900)
Ryo returns to the Valspar Championship for a third consecutive season, looking to improve upon his impressive T4 finish here last year. He tied for 33rd at this event in 2023 and comes into the week in impressive form, having finished T13 or better in four of his last six starts on the PGA Tour, including a runner-up finish at the Farmers in January. Hisatsune ranks third in the field from tee to green over his last twenty rounds. He will be a popular pick to win this week and for good reason.
Pick to win the Valspar Championship: Justin Thomas (+2200)
Thomas impressed in just his second start of the season, finishing T8 at last week's Players Championship. After a bumpy outing at Bay Hill in his first start since back surgery, Thomas gained strokes both on approach and on the greens at TPC Sawgrass.
He has an impressive track record at the Valspar Championship with four finishes of T13 or better in his last five starts at the Copperhead Course, including a runner-up finish here just last year. After an impressive showing last week, Thomas could be on the verge of winning again soon.
All betting odds courtesy of DraftKings. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. The content in this article should not be considered betting advice. Gambling involves risk, and one should only gamble with funds that one can comfortably afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.