The Course Report
Valspar Championship
About Copperhead
The PGA Tour returns to Florida at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club just north of Tampa. The Larry Packard designed course is one the golfers have not seen this year on tour, but don’t be fooled by the lack of name recognition when compared to the likes of Pete Dye, Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones. This course provides some bite just as the name implies. The course utilizes undulated fairways and vast changes in elevation intended to make PGA Tour pro’s makes some tough choices. Now this is not impossible to overcome by any means, as the course does often rank in just the front half of most difficult courses on tour. Yet, this course is certainly different from what the golfers have seen so far here in Florida.
In addition to the numerous elevation changes, there will be plenty of dog legs in play. Only one hole on the entire course provides a straight away view at the pin. Challenges are in abundance as golfers will have to manage water, tree lined fairways and very well-placed bunkers that place high demand for accuracy off the tee. The most challenging holes on the course derive from the notorious “Snake Pit”, which are holes 16,17 and 18. This obviously can create an interesting Sunday.
This course is often highlighted as Packard’s best design. The hilliness, elevation changes, and mature pine trees add to its ambiance, but in truth is what makes the course challenging for PGA Tour Players.
The other unique aspect is the use of dog legs. There is only one hole on the entire course that doesn’t have the semblance of a dog-leg characteristic as a part of its structure. Let’s not forget that the course has an abundance of water hazards and bunkers positionally placed to give plenty of pros headaches.
The signature hole is the par-5 14th, which features a double dog-leg, and since its inception at Copperhead, has been seen on several courses.
One of the big strategies we will see this weekend is players clubbing down in order to insure they are in the fairway. Now some subtle changes are coming to this course this weekend. The first being is that they’ve grown the rough out to 3.75inches, which is 3/4 of inch longer than past seasons. In addition, players are only seeing around 2 feet of fringe as the rough is banking awfully close to the greens. Long story short is that being in the fairway is going to be very helpful this week.
Wayward drives will bang around those pine trees with the potential for a big number on any hole a real possibility. Due to the fact that so many holes don’t require driver, ball striking, approach play, and scrambling are key. So, the answer is simple. Play boring golf, putt well, and you’ll be in contention.
Datagolf.com shows that course history is not as relevant here as previous events that we’ve seen this year. So be mindful that course horses are limited in number. There are a few, and anticpate them to be highly talked about amongst those in the industry.
Architect: Larry Packard
Greens: Bermuda Grass Greens
Greens Size: 6,100 – Small Greens
Stimpmeter: 11-12 (Average Green Speeds)
Length: 7,340- Par 71
Water Hazards: 6 Water Hazards – 5 Holes
Bunkers: 75+
Weather Forecast
Nuggets and Tidbits
- This is the first Florida Swing tournament that is played on the Gulf Side of the state.
- The course is lined with pine trees, and the rolling terrain in part of the courses design.
- Like most Florida courses, water comes into play on nearly every hole.
- The par-5 11th hole nicknamed “O’s Alley” is a 575 yard birdie paradise. The hole often ranks as the easiest in the tournament.
- Contrary to that, the par-4 16th nicknamed “The Moccasin”, is an intimidating hole that averages a shade above par due to its long 475 yards in length.
- What makes Copperhead so unique is the fact that it is unlike so many of the courses you see in the state of Florida. Many of the courses lack trees, but at Copperhead, missing the fairway leads you straight to hitting out of pinestraw.
- Similar to what we see at TPC Sawgrass, no particular style of player wins here. PLenty of shot makers and distance players have had success.
- One of the hardest aspects for players to manage is the constant bends from left to right and vice versa.
Approach Shot Distribution
Past Winners
Back to back Sam Burns? Could anything be better than that? Burns folowed up his 2021 title with an awesome defense, and we might as well tailor any track that looks like Copperhead a Burns course.
It did take a playoff this time around, and one of the best putts that we saw all of last season. The truth is that Burns didn’t show up on Sunday in scoring metrics, but more with the par saves. He outlasted Davis Riley in extra holes.
For everyone that saw the potential in Sam Burns, the wait was over. Burns, with a score of 17 under par, secured his first ever victory on the PGA Tour.
Burns had flashed success multiple times. This was the 6th time in less than a year that he had been in the top-4 entering a final round, and this was was the third time that he began Sunday as co-leader. He did enough with the putter and came out tournament champion.
For the second year in a row, Casey held off a start-studded Sunday to claim his back to back title of the Valspar Championship.
Dustin Johnson entered the final round trailing by 1-stroke, but Casey was unerved at the task of maintaining his lead after round 3. While Casey did only win by 1-stroke, it did not have the same feeling as the prior year.
Casey might have won the tournament, but most will remember the play of Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed on Sunday. Wood’s finished in second to Casey who was simply unstoppable on Sunday.
Casey played the final 15 holes of the tournament masterfully as he shot 6-under par. The 65 in the final round led to him jumping from 11th place to 1st as only Sergio Garcia could claim the same low score as Casey. -10 was just enough to outlast Woods and Reed.
The Snake Pit has claimed plenty of victims in years past, but Hadwin held on to secure his victory.
Hadwin waltzed into Sunday with a four shot lead, but barely hung on as a red-hot Patrick Cantlay was looking to force a third straight playoff for the Valspar. Ultimately, Hadwin’s lead and a bogey on 18 for Cantlay was enough to secure the victory.
Schwartzel dazzled on Sunday with a 67, which forced an extra hole with 54-hole leader Bill Haas.
This was Schwartzel’s first win on PGA Tour since his incredible 2011 Masters victory. This was a ongshot comeback as Schwartzel started the final round 5 strokes back. Lucky for him, Copperhead came out fighting and those leaders were struggling all day leading to the win.
Without a doubt, this was the most exciting finish to any Valspar. Spieth and Patrick Reed and Sean O’Hair were on their games on Sunday, as the three battled it out in a playoff.
Leaderboard movement was constant with massive shot deficits, amazing saves and plenty of dramatics.
It took three sudden death holes for Spieth to nail a 23-footer for birdie and his second PGA Tour victory.
Windy conditions played a massive role on a difficult Sunday. This was literally a roller-coaster ride for Senden.
Coming in on Sunday as the leader, he went without a par for 6 straight holes, and relinquished his lead by starting that stretch with 2 straight bogies. It was looking terrible for Senden on 16, as he had placed his tee shot into the pine straw. By some miracle, he placed his ball to the rough just short of the green and chipped one in to end up with a birdie. He would then follow up with another birdie on 17, and that would end up winning him the tournament
The key to Streelman’s win was his third round 65. While Book Weekly did everything he could to catch Streelman with an amazing 63 on Sunday, the championship was never in doubt as Streelman played flawlessly to never really feel intesnt pressure on Sunday.
Three straight sub-70 rounds this weekend locked up the tournament for Streelman after he shot 2 over par in round 1.
*Played as Tampa Ba Championship