PGA Drive for Show, DFS for Dough - Valspar Championship
Our PGA gurus are here to break down the field for the Valspar Championship! Join Justin Van Zuiden (stlcardinals84) and Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) for Drive for Show, DFS for Dough, your first look at this week’s PGA DFS slate.
Show Highlights
This podcast episode focuses on providing expert strategies and insights for the Valspar Championship. Hosted by Justin Van Zuiden and Derek Farnsworth, the episode dives into the importance of player selection, course evaluation, and lineup building.
Watch the video below to hear all about the Valspar Championship PGA DFS slate!
Course Overview
- The Valspar Championship is held at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, a par-71 layout measuring 7,352 yards.
- Unlike typical Florida courses, Copperhead features significant elevation changes and tree-lined fairways, drawing comparisons to courses in North and South Carolina.
- The unique par-71 configuration includes five par 3s and four par 5s, leaving only nine par 4s on the scorecard.
- Strategic positioning is vital, as the course features narrow fairways and numerous doglegs; the field hit driver on only 52% of tee shots last year with an average distance of 278 yards.
- Small greens and difficult conditions lead to a low greens in regulation (GIR) rate, which was just 55% last year, placing a premium on scrambling and Bermuda putting.
- Scoring is historically difficult; winning scores over the last three years have ranged from 10-under to 12-under, and the tournament has not seen a winner better than 17-under in 15 years.
DFS strategy
- Soft pricing across the board makes it easy to fit two elite golfers from the top-tier range into a single lineup.
- Prioritize ball-striking and long iron approach metrics, as the course demands precision on the many long-distance second shots.
- Focus on par-3 and par-5 scoring averages to capitalize on the unusual course layout and the high frequency of these holes.
- Look for “less than driver” specialists who excel when forced to lay back off the tee rather than relying on pure distance.
- Be extremely cautious regarding late withdrawals, which have heavily impacted “chalk” plays during the Florida swing; checking news right up until lock is recommended.
Player highlights
$10,000+
- Xander Schauffele — Target — Considered a very safe option with a high floor for cash games, specifically due to his elite iron play and 12 strokes gained on approach here last year.
- Viktor Hovland — Cautious — Despite being a past winner with good course history, the hosts are hesitant to play him at his current five-figure salary given his recent form.
- Akshay Bhatia — Target — Regarded as a strong play on paper who has been playing much better recently, rounding out the top-four grouping for balanced builds.
Editor’s note: Akshay was a WD Wednesday morning.
$9,000 Range
- Matt Fitzpatrick — Target — The preferred starting point for lineups due to his elite Bermuda putting and strong course history, including a 5th-place finish in 2022.
- Corey Conners — Target — A top priority after gaining over 8 strokes ball-striking last week; he historically performs well during this part of the season.
- Jacob Bridgman — Target — A statistical standout who has gained over two strokes per round in 2026, leading the field by a significant margin.
- Jordan Spieth — Target — Ranks second in the field on courses that take the driver out of his hands and finished 3rd at this event in 2023.
- Brooks Koepka — Target — His approach play is currently “dialed in” (ranking 5th in the field last week), making him an ideal GPP play for difficult courses.
- Ben Griffin — Target — A strong course fit when the driver is removed from the equation; his elite short game makes him a viable bounce-back candidate.
$8,000 Range
- Ryo Hisatsune — Target — A primary target who finished 4th here last year; his skill set of hitting fairways and elite approach play fits the course perfectly.
- Sahith Theegala — Target — Ranks 4th in Total Strokes Gained over the last 36 rounds and has eliminated his previous inconsistency with zero missed cuts this year.
- Nicolai Hojgaard — Target — Recommended for his ball-striking and iron play, though the hosts are prioritizing him over his brother Rasmus this week.
$7,000 / Value
- Blades Brown — Target — The hosts’ “flag plant” of the week; the 18-year-old leads the TOUR in Total Driving and Par-3 scoring through 12 rounds this year.
- Austin Smotherman — Target — A safe “chalk” play for cash games who leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach over the last 3, 9, and 18 months.
- Bud Cauley — Target — A Florida resident who has shown strong recent form (T18 and T32) and historically benefits from less-than-driver courses.
- Ricky Castillo — Sprinkle — A high-talent GPP flyer who recently won in Puerto Rico and was the 1st-round leader at this event a year ago.
- Kevin Roy — Sprinkle — A GPP flyer mentioned as a “roller coaster” play for those looking for low-ownership leverage in large fields.