The PGA Tour shifts back to Florida for the final time on the 2020-21 schedule for this week’s Valspar Championship. A surprisingly strong but top-heavy field will tee it up at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead course in Palm Harbor, Florida. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 Valspar Championship, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.
Three of the top-seven golfers in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings lead those looking to challenge two-time defending champ Paul Casey, who enters the week at No. 25 in the world rankings. Casey last won at Copperhead in 2019. The 2020 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 PGA Championship at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, is just three tournament weeks away following last week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event.
Also see: Valspar Championship odds, predictions and PGA Tour picks
2021 Valspar Championship: Fantasy Golf Top 20
Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Monday at 7:34 p.m. ET.
20. Kevin Streelman (+6600)
Thirty-one rounds of competitive experience at Copperhead with an average of 0.46 strokes gained on the field per round. He’s consistently accurate off-the-tee and is averaging 0.44 SG: Approach per round through 46 measured rounds on the season.
19. Kevin Kisner (+8000)
Sixth on Tour in driving accuracy and averaging 0.47 SG: Putting per round. Missed the cut in three of his last four events but had five top-10 finishes in 22 events last year.
18. Chris Kirk (+4000)
Has vaulted from No. 265 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of 2020 to No. 62 entering this week. He has four top-10 finishes already this year and is averaging 1.11 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
17. Russell Henley (+3000)
Ranks 24th on Tour in driving accuracy and is tied for fifth in scrambling. He just missed out on an invitation to the 2021 Masters but tied for ninth at the RBC Heritage the following week.
16. Bubba Watson (+5000)
Ninth in this field among those with at least 10 rounds played at Copperhead with an average of 1.14 strokes gained on the field per round. He has struggled with the putter but has been very strong off-the-tee and with his irons.
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15. Scottie Scheffler (+2800)
The reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year makes his debut at the Valspar Championship after the 2020 tournament was canceled. He’s averaging 0.65 SG: Off-the-Tee for the season and has three top-10 showings in his last seven events.
14. Kevin Na (+5000)
Already a winner this year, Na is greatly discounted with just the 22nd-best odds to win this week. He has played well across 42 career rounds at Copperhead with an average of 0.98 strokes gained on the field per round.
13. Tyrrell Hatton (+2800)
No. 15 in the Golfweek rankings and shares the 10th-best odds to win but missed the cut at plus-8 in his first appearance at this event in 2019. He is a much better golfer now than he was then, but his 1.48 strokes lost per round with the putter in his event debut are cause for concern.
12. Justin Rose (+4000)
Finished alone in seventh at the 2021 Masters and now begins preparations for the PGA Championship after a ninth-place finish in the first major on the 2020 schedule. Many of his stats for 2020-21 are skewed by time missed due to injury, but he’s fourth on Tour in Par 5 Efficiency: 550-600 Yards and needs to score on those holes at Copperhead.
11. Jason Kokrak (+3300)
Tied for second in 2019 following a T-8 finish in 2018. He’s gaining strokes off-the-tee and has been money with the flat stick all season.
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10. Louis Oosthuizen (+3000)
Lost in a playoff last week with playing partner Charl Schwartzel largely due to his opening shot of the playoff finding the water. There’s little water to be found at Copperhead, and he has averaged 1.20 strokes gained per round over 22 career laps.
9. Joaquin Niemann (+3500)
Averaging 1.41 SG: Tee-to-Green through 43 measured rounds this season. He had a lackluster T-37 finish in his event debut in 2019, but he averaged 0.88 SG: Approach and 1.01 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
8. Viktor Hovland (+2000)
Ranks second in this field at No. 4 in the Golfweek rankings. Has two second-place finishes and two other top-10 showings in nine international events this year with 0.92 SG: Off-the-Tee and 0.77 SG: Approach per round.
7. Abraham Ancer (+2800)
Tied for 16th in his only appearance at the Valspar Championship in 2018 with 1.17 SG: Approach and 2.07 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. He has finished no worse than T-26 in his last six events.
6. Sungjae Im (+2500)
Debuted at the Valspar Championship in 2019 with a T-4 finish and 2.14 SG: Tee-to-Green per round. He has two top-10 placings and just one missed cut through 12 events this year.
5. Dustin Johnson (+1100)
Slipped to No. 3 in the Golfweek rankings with just one top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season, but he’s still the top player in this field after rebounding from his missed cut at the Masters with a T-13 finish at the RBC Heritage. Tied for sixth in this event in 2019.
4. Patrick Reed (+1800)
Missed the cut in 2019 following a T-2 finish in 2018. He’s more accurate than long off-the-tee, and that plays to his favor here. His red-hot putter plays well anywhere.
3. Corey Conners (+1800)
The Canadian is ninth on Tour with 2.17 strokes gained on the average Tour pro over his last 20 rounds. The stretch includes top-10 finishes at The Players Championship (7th), the Masters (T-8) and RBC Heritage (T-4).
2. Paul Casey (+2200)
The two-time winner of this event is just sixth by the betting odds this week. He has slipped a bit of late in recent events, but he won on the European Tour early this year and tied for fifth at The Players.
1. Justin Thomas (+1000)
BetMGM’s betting favorite leads this field with 1.21 SG: Approach per round. He hasn’t been nearly as sharp off-the-tee, but his irons can save him at this shorter 7,340-yard venue.
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