2024 Valspar Championship: Top 10 power rankings at Innisbrook

Xander Schauffele will hope to get right back on the horse and move on from his close call last week at the Players Championship.

With Scottie Scheffler in the house a few groups ahead, the 54-hole leader Schauffele was down a shot late on Sunday looking to force a playoff or win it in regulation.

After making birdie on the par-4 16th, X Man narrowly missed a short birdie putt after hitting an excellent tee shot on the par-3 17th island hole.

Schauffele found trouble off the tee on 18 and couldn’t convert a long range birdie try.

It resulted in T-2nd after rounds of 65-69-65-70 (-19).

Schauffele was a little wayward off the tee for the week. Otherwise, his stats were sterling.

The former San Diego State Aztec ranked eighth in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (5.058), 13th in SG: Around-the-Green (2.473), 14th in SG: Approach (5.565), and 18th in SG: Off-the-Tee (3.03).

Schauffele now arrives at the Valspar Championship for the second time.

His tournament debut resulted in T-12th (67-67-68-71, -11) in 2022.

Strong iron play is beneficial at the Copperhead course. Schauffele was T-8th in the field for the week in SG: Approach (5.006), to go with a rank of third in SG: Off-the-Tee (3.442).

On the 2024 season, the 30-year-old ranks second in SG: Tee-to-Green (1.771), third in SG: Total (1.848), eighth in SG: Off-the-Tee (.728), 13th in SG: Around-the-Green (.445), and 15th in SG: Approach (.596).

His putting is down at 80th but it’s still an overall net positive.

This has been the norm for his career to be so well-rounded. He won a lot in his early years, but that pace has petered off.

Schauffele rarely plays non-Signature Events, so this is a great opportunity to pick off a win he’s been due for.