The PGA Tour heads to Florida for the Valspar Championship, offering players the essential opportunity to sharpen their skills before the Masters. With 24 of the world’s top 50 players confirmed, the event promises to be an exciting week in Palm Harbor. Following the Arnold Palmer Invitational and PLAYERS Championship, many of the Tour’s biggest names have decided to make the trip, while others have opted to rest before the season’s first major.
Xander Schauffele, ranked No. 3, returns after missing two months due to a rib injury, while top-10 players Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood are also in the field. Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Valspar winner, aims to continue his comeback after undergoing wrist surgery. The Copperhead course at Innisbrook Resort, a 7,352-yard, par-71 layout, presents a different challenge with its hilly terrain, making low scores harder to come by.
Peter Malnati won last year at 12 under, and Taylor Moore took the title at 10 under the year before. With an $8.7 million purse and a first-place prize of $1.566 million, the stakes are high. While the field includes several big names, there are still a few notable absentees. Who’s missing, and what could that mean for the competition? Let’s dive in.
1. Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler, the defending Masters champion, won the prestigious tournament last year and will be returning as the titleholder. While the exact reason for his absence from the Valspar Championship has not been confirmed, he will likely follow a similar schedule to last year. After securing consecutive victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the PLAYERS Championship, Scheffler made a brief appearance at the Texas Children’s Houston Open before heading into the Masters, where he was in peak form.
Currently, Scheffler is far from his best, with only two top-10 finishes in the events he’s played this season. It seems logical for him to take some time off, work on refining his swing, and focus on getting back to peak form.
2. Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy started the season with a strong start, capturing the title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. However, he struggled to maintain that momentum at both the Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. McIlroy did exceptionally well at the PLAYERS Championship, entering a playoff with JJ Spaun. His primary focus now is securing a victory at the Masters, to end his major drought and complete his career grand slam. McIlroy’s last Major win came over a decade ago at the 2014 PGA Championship. This year could be his time to finally add another Major to his resume, and he’s determined to make it happen.
Highlighted by World No. 3 Xander Schauffele, 24 of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking are in the field for next week’s Valspar Championship.
Field for the Valspar Championship: pic.twitter.com/eAI16JBDpn
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 14, 2025
3. Collin Morikawa
Collin Morikawa has developed a clear pattern over the past two seasons: he rarely plays consecutive events, preferring to focus on key tournaments rather than filling his schedule with regular events. This year is no different, as he’s opted to play only the most important events. Morikawa started his season at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, followed by signature events. With two close calls this season, that is, T2 finishes at Sentry and API, he now hopes to secure a victory, but probably needs to be in the best shape for the Masters.
4. Ludvig Aberg
Ludvig Åberg has quickly emerged as one of the most exciting names in golf. He made history in 2023 as the first player to participate in the Ryder Cup without having played in any major tournaments. After turning pro in 2023, Åberg joined the PGA Tour and won his professional debut event.
Notably, he also played at the 2023 Valspar Championship, competing as an amateur and finishing tied for 61st. However, that was his first and only appearance in the event. While there’s no official explanation for his absence this year, it could be due to the challenging nature of the course and his performance in 2023, or perhaps his focus is now set on securing a victory at the Masters, having finished as runner-up last year.
5. Hideki Matsuyama
Hideki Matsuyama got off to a strong start this season, claiming victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. However, since then, his form has taken a dip. Last weekend, he ended up with a disappointing T22 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and missed the cut in the PLAYERS Championship. The reason behind his absence from the Valspar Championship isn’t clear, though.
The Valspar Championship has often been a tournament where unexpected winners emerge, with many favorites not taking the title. Perhaps that explains why Xander Schauffele is the only top-5 player in the field this week. Who do you think will win this year in the finale of the Florida swing?
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