As the US Masters looms, many top players will stay on the course to continue their preparation, while others will prefer to rest. It’s the Valspar Championship 2023 next, so let’s assess who’s in contention while looking to pick some winners with this preview and its betting predictions.
Justin Thomas is the favorite this week and the multiple major winner tees off at best industry odds of 11/1. JT has a solid record here with four top 20 finishes and a tie for third last year. The issue lies with current form and in particular an inconsistent run with the putter.
Next is Jordan Spieth who is close behind at a top price of 12/1. Spieth is a former Valspar Championship winner, having lifted the trophy via a playoff in 2015. A loss of form since 2017, has yet to be fully addressed, but he will always be a contender when a number of big names are missing.
Behind the top two, reigning US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick leads the rest of the field at a best of 16/1. The Englishman tied for fifth here last year, but his form is a concern once again. Fitzpatrick has missed the cut in three of his last five starts.
Next is the defending Valspar champion Sam Burns at 18/1. Burns is going for a three-peat after winning the title here in 2021 and 2022. It has been a subdued campaign so far, but we clearly cannot ignore the fact that Burns has the game for this Copperhead Course.
Justin Rose and Keegan Bradley are next at 22/1, while Tommy Fleetwood and Adam Hadwin are both quoted at 25/1. There is considerable interest around Keegan Bradley who tops the Power Rankings this week. A solo runner-up to Sam Burns in 2021, form is on his side as he sits in fourth place in the FedEx Cup.
Adam Hadwin is another former winner of the Valspar Championship. The Canadian eased out Patrick Cantlay by one stroke in 2017 and he also finished in a tie for seventh here last year.
Other names to mention in this group include Davis Riley at 30/1, plus Brian Harman, Denny McCarthy and Wyndham Clark who are all at 33/1 in places.
Our outsiders are led by Gary Woodland, who can be found at best odds of 45/1. He is another former champion, but we must go back to 2011 to find Woodland edging out Webb Simpson by one stroke to lift the Valspar Championship.
Next are Maverick McNealy and Ben Griffin at 50/1, while Brandon Wu and Stephen Jaeger are at 60/1. There is not a great deal of depth to the field this week, but other players that you may want to consider can include J.T. Poston at 75/1, Beau Hossler at 80/1, Garrick Higgo at 80/1, Luke List at 100/1, Joseph Bramlett at 100/1 and Webb Simpson at 110/1.
Our Valspar Championship 2023 Preview’s Course & Betting Trends with Predictions & Picks
The Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club is the regular venue for the Valspar Championship. It is a par 71, but there is some considerable length at around 7,340 yards.
The distance hitters can enjoy some advantages here, while other key stats for recent winners have included Greens in Regulation and other figures related to accuracy. The greens are tiny, at around 5,800 square feet, and fast, so it is vital to be on the putting surface in regulation.
The last five years have produced just two winners of the Valspar Championship. Paul Casey was the champion in 2018 and 2019 before the 2020 edition had to be canceled. Sam Burns has subsequently won each of the previous two tournaments. Multiple winners have been fairly frequent since the competition began in 2000, so that may be a trend to consider.
Burns will be fancied, but form is a concern for many of the shorter priced golfers here. Meanwhile, one player who is in good touch is Keegan Bradley. While his main rivals this week are all struggling, Bradley has a win, a second place and a tie for fifth in his genuine challenge for the FedEx Cup.
With good, relevant stats to boost his claims, Keegan Bradley is our pick for the 2023 Valspar Championship. There are three additional top 10 betting picks as we look to get back to profitable ways in Palm Harbor with these betting predictions and picks.
- Keegan Bradley to win at best odds of +2500 (25/1) with BetOnline.
- Top 10 Finish Picks (best odds in brackets): Keegan Bradley (+280 BetOnline), Davis Riley (+375 BetOnline), Brian Harman (+375 BetOnline) and J.T. Poston (+550 EveryGame, BetOnline).
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.