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The Rollback Debate Continues

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I’m sure you can guess which side of the fence Bryson is on…

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New: Lebron James Golf Ad

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Pretty funny…and has a cameo from Tom Kim.

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Preview & Picks: The Valspar Championship

One of the best parts of the Florida Swing? These courses don’t mess around.

You go from The Bear Trap… to Bay Hill… to Sawgrass… to The Snake Pit. It’s basically a four-week stress test for the best players in the world.

We’ve already seen it take its toll. Shane Lowry got chewed up by The Bear Trap. Daniel Berger couldn’t close at Bay Hill. Ludvig Aberg let it slip away at Sawgrass. These are tough courses to win at.

Now the TOUR heads to Innisbrook, where the Copperhead Course - and The Snake Pit - are waiting.

The field is pretty strong. Seven of the Top 20 in the world are teeing it up: Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ben Griffin, Viktor Hovland, and Jacob Bridgeman.

And there’s depth - Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Sahith Theegala, and Patrick Cantlay are all competing. Akshay Bhatia WD today.

Tough course (6th hardest on TOUR), strong field, and a little history with the 25th anniversary of the Valspar.

Feels like we’re set up for another good one.

And if things break right… maybe we go back-to-back after hitting Cam Young last week.

Field Notes

Approach play is the separator – SG: Approach had the highest correlation the last two years (~0.56–0.61), well ahead of everything else. With a heavy concentration of shots coming from 150–200 yards, this is a classic second-shot course. Target elite iron players, especially strong mid-iron performers.
Accuracy over distance off the tee – Driving distance barely moves the needle (~0.03 correlation), while accuracy matters more (~0.20–0.27). With narrow fairways (~26–27 yards) and penalties for misses, players who keep it in play have a clear edge.
Don’t ignore putting – SG: Putting showed a surprisingly strong correlation (~0.59 both years), nearly matching approach in 2024. On a difficult course where scoring hovers just over par, players who can convert limited chances tend to separate.

The Details

Previous Winners

How To Watch

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PGA TOUR LIVE is available exclusively on ESPN+ and consists of four streams.

Weekly Bets: AP Invitational

We’ve partnered with Keith Stewart at Read The Line to share his weekly golf betting picks with the Caddyshanks crew. If you’re the type who enjoys breaking down matchups, spotting trends, and hunting for value, you’ll feel right at home in the RTL community. Join Here.

Keith Stewart’s Picks

Nicolai Højgaard (+3600 DraftKings)

I’m excited about this pick. More excited than Morikawa at THE PLAYERS, in hindsight, yes! Nicolai Højgaard has been quietly playing some really solid golf. Højgaard lost strokes with his driver due to one bad round at TPC Sawgrass and still finished in the top 30. Prior to Ponte Vedra, Nicolai finished top 6 in three of his five starts. The ball striking and putter are both really good, and he has a secret weapon. Højgaard is ranked third in the field for par 3 scoring. With five of those to play per round on the Copperhead Course, that’s an edge most will miss.

Austin Smotherman (+5500 Bet Rivers)

Since the PGA TOUR started the Florida swing, we keep hearing Austin Smotherman's name. Smotherman has gained with his iron game in EVERY start this season; all seven of them. Austin earned his way into the API and finished T13 at THE PLAYERS. A T8 at The American Express and runner-up at the Cognizant Classic, Smotherman's star power continues to rise. Two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour last June, this kid can close. No rookie at Innisbrook, in two starts, Austin has finished T25 and T36. If you're worried about the putter, the Copperhead is one course where Austin has gained strokes in every start. Another sign Smotherman can win, his odds. Three weeks ago, they were in the triple digits.

Caddyshanks Picks

Jacob Bridgeman (+2200 Draftkings)

After winning at Riviera, Bridgeman has continued to pay well. He’s the best putter in the field right now and is a great course fit. The only issue here is that I hate how low his number is. Vegas always knows.

Sahith Theegala (+3600 Draftkings)

Sahith has played well overall this year, with three Top 10 finishes. He checks the iron-play box, but will need a hot week with the putter to contend.

Jordan Spieth (+2700 Fanduel)

Normally, this spot is reserved for the Scottie Scheffler auto-pick, but he’s not in the field this week, so we are hopping on the Spieth rollercoaster. He’s won here before you know…

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