After the high drama of The Players Championship, the PGA Tour shifts just up the Florida coast to Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor for the 2026 Valspar Championship. While it lacks the purse and prestige of Sawgrass, the Valspar has developed a well-deserved reputation as one of the Tour’s most compelling regular-season events.
The Copperhead Course
The Copperhead Course is the kind of layout that separates true ball-strikers from the rest of the field. At roughly 7,300 yards, it weaves through dense stands of Florida pine, demanding accuracy off the tee and precision on approach shots into firm, well-protected greens.
The stretch of holes from 14 through 18, affectionately known as the “Snake Pit,” is one of the most demanding closing sequences on Tour. The 16th, a long par-3 guarded by water, has produced plenty of drama over the years and will once again be a pivotal hole come Sunday afternoon.
Tournament details
The Valspar carries a $9.1 million purse this year, and the 135-player field includes some notable names looking to find form ahead of the season’s first major at Augusta National next month. As an open event, the tournament also features two spots allocated through Monday qualifying, giving some aspiring Tour players a chance to compete on a big stage.
What to watch for
With the Masters now just weeks away, look for players to use Copperhead as a final audition of sorts. The course rewards a similar skill set to Augusta — controlled drives, accurate iron play, and the ability to scramble when things don’t go to plan. Players who perform well here often carry that form into April.
The Valspar is also a tournament where lower-profile players tend to contend. The lack of an elite-heavy field creates opportunity, and past champions have often used this event as a springboard to bigger things.
The case for watching
If you’re looking for pure golf — no gimmicks, just a well-conditioned course testing the full range of a player’s game — the Valspar delivers every year. The Copperhead Course is a genuine examination, and the players know it. There’s a reason this event draws widespread respect within the locker room even if it doesn’t always command the biggest television audiences.
Tee times begin Thursday morning from Innisbrook Resort. It should be a cracking week of golf.