Valspar Championship Betting Tips: Three picks for Copperhead

With The Masters fast approaching there are only a few opportunities left for players to hone their game ahead of the first major of the season.

Next up on the PGA Tour it's the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course, which has been won by Sam Burns in each of the last two years.

Below we've analysed the favourites in the betting, then picked out three players who we think are in with a shout this week.

The Betting Favourites

Justin Thomas arrives at Copperhead as the betting favourite to win the Valspar Championship (11/1, Bet Victor).

Thomas finished 3rd last year - one shot off the top - 13th in 2021, and 10th back in 2015. He came 4th at the Phoenix Open last month, but heads into this week on the back of a disappointing T60 at The Players.

Thomas is followed by best bud Jordan Spieth at 12/1. Spieth was a winner here back in 2015, although he's only played twice since then: 18th in 2016 and a missed cut two years later.

Matt Fitzpatrick is next in the running at 16/1. The US Open winner has missed the cut in three of his last five tournaments, including at The Players, although he can draw on a T5 finish at the Valspar last term.

It's no surprise to see Sam Burns in the mix at 18/1 given that he's gunning for an unprecedented Valspar hat-trick following his triumphs in 2021 and 2022.

Justin Rose

Justin Rose has been either hot or cold in regard to his recent form as a whole, as well as his performances at the Valspar Championship.

Rose won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, followed this up with two missed cuts, then finished T6 last week at The Players - and would have been nestled within the top-5 if he hadn't slipped in a double-bogey on the infamous 17th hole during his final round.

Similarly, in his last four showings at the Valspar, he's either been in contention or way off the mark: 8th, missed cut, 5th, missed cut.

I'm hoping Rose finds some consistency this week as he looks to build on a very decent showing at The Players.

Denny McCarthy

Denny McCarthy has stamped some promising results on the board so far in 2023.

McCarthy - who finished T7 on his US Open debut last year - claimed T4 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month, which has been followed by top-15 finishes at The Genesis Invitational (T14) and The Players (T13).

In those three tournaments, McCarthy has posted six rounds in the 60s, including a superb 64 in the final round at Pebble Beach.

When it comes to his previous displays at the Valspar Championship, the 30-year-old has made the cut in each of his three visits, with a best-placing of 9th in 2019.

Regarded as one of the best putters on tour - ranked top in 'Strokes Gained Putting' in 2019 and 2020 - his form and growing confidence mean he's definitely one to watch at 33/1 with a number of firms.

Luke Donald

If you're after a long shot then Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is a stonking 250/1 with 10Bet.

While I don't think the former World No.1 will beat everyone else in this field, his form at the tournament is very respectable and hints that he could well be hovering on the periphery this week given that this field isn't the strongest we've seen in recent weeks.

Donald has three top-10 finishes in his last nine appearances here, claiming 4th twice, while he's only missed the one cut.

He has four top-20 finishes during that time, including 16th last year, and I think there's a little sprinkling of value to be had at a best-priced 15/2 (UniBet) for the Englishman to secure a third top-20 finish in his last four appearances at the event.