Hovland Seeks Repeat at Valspar Championship

Top DFS picks for the PGA Tour's stop at Copperhead Course in Tampa

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:06am

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The PGA Tour's Florida Swing wraps up this week at the Valspar Championship, with players making one final stop at Innisbrook's Copperhead Course near Tampa. The tournament often comes down to how players handle the brutal closing stretch known as 'The Snake Pit'—holes 16, 17, and 18—one of the toughest finishes on the PGA TOUR. This article reveals the top DFS picks for the event, including the defending champion and several golfers whose skill sets fit the demanding Copperhead layout.

Why it matters

The Valspar Championship is a respected stop on the PGA Tour due to the challenging Copperhead Course, which demands precision, patience, and strong ball-striking from players. With the Masters just around the corner, several top golfers are using this event as a final tune-up before the year's first major.

The details

The Copperhead Course is known for its tight fairways, thick rough, and plenty of water hazards that punish mistakes. Viktor Hovland, the defending champion, has an excellent track record at the course, posting a T3 and T33 before last year's victory. Jacob Bridgeman, Ryo Hisatsune, Austin Smotherman, and Chad Ramey are also highlighted as DFS picks whose skill sets fit the Copperhead layout perfectly.

  • The Valspar Championship takes place this week (March 17-20, 2026).
  • Hovland won the 2025 Valspar Championship.

The players

Viktor Hovland

The defending Valspar champion has an excellent track record at the Copperhead Course, posting a T3 and T33 here before last year's victory while owning the best scoring average in the field at 68.50.

Jacob Bridgeman

The 26-year-old enters the week in outstanding form, coming off a T5 finish at The Players Championship where he led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. He has now finished T18 or better in all seven starts this season and already owns a win at the Genesis Invitational.

Ryo Hisatsune

The 23-year-old continues to impress with steady results and a game that fits the Copperhead Course perfectly. He's coming off a T13 finish at The Players Championship, where he ranked 3rd in strokes gained tee-to-green, and now has four top-15 finishes this season.

Austin Smotherman

The 31-year-old has been one of the better ball-strikers on Tour this season and continues to show strong form during the Florida Swing. He's coming off a T13 finish at The Players Championship, where he co-led after the opening round and finished the week leading the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee while ranking near the top in greens hit.

Chad Ramey

He's quietly put together a solid run in 2026, including a T17 at the Cognizant Classic, a T22 at the Farmers Insurance Open and a top-30 finish at The Players Championship against one of the strongest fields on Tour.

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The takeaway

With several top players using the Valspar Championship as a final tune-up before the Masters, the DFS field is loaded with talent whose games fit the demanding Copperhead Course. Defending champion Viktor Hovland leads the way, but players like Jacob Bridgeman, Ryo Hisatsune, Austin Smotherman, and Chad Ramey also offer strong upside for DFS lineups this week.