Valspar Championship Final Day 2 Under Par, 10m Winning Birdie in 2nd Playoff, Riley Tears Up in 2nd Place
Sam Burns is cheering after making the winning birdie in the second sudden-death playoff on the 16th hole of the final day at the Valspar Championship. Palm Harbor, USA = Getty Images / Multivits
[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Winning birdie from the Snake Pit."
Sam Burns successfully defended his title after an extended battle. On the 21st (Korean time), at the Innisbrook Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA (par 71, 7,340 yards), Burns posted 2-under par on the final day of the PGA Tour Valspar Championship (total prize money $7.8 million), taking the top spot on the leaderboard at 17-under par 267. He then secured the winning birdie on the 16th hole (par 4) during the second playoff. This marks his second win of the season and third overall, just five months after his victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October last year, earning $1,404,000 (1.7 billion KRW) in prize money.
Starting from a tie for third place, Burns energized the course with a birdie on the 5th hole (par 4) and back-to-back birdies on the 11th and 12th holes. A bogey on the 17th hole (par 3) was a slight setback. The first playoff hole (18th) ended in a par tie, but he made an impressive 10-meter long birdie putt on the second playoff hole. Despite a green hit rate of only 55.56%, his scrambling rate?making par or better after missing the green?was an outstanding 87.50%, showcasing his remarkable short game skills.
It is interesting that Burns showed particular strength on the course’s toughest stretch, holes 16 through 18 at Innisbrook. Known as the "Snake Pit" due to its narrow, winding fairways resembling a snake’s lair, the 16th tee even features a large snake sculpture. Over the four rounds, Burns scored 1-under par on 12 holes, including 1-under par on the two playoff holes that day, demonstrating exceptional charisma on this challenging course.
Sam Burns is sharing his joy with his caddy immediately after winning the Valspar Championship. Palm Harbor, USA=Getty Images/Multivitz
Burns is a 25-year-old young gun who won the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Savannah Championship and immediately advanced to the PGA Tour in the 2019 season. He claimed his first victory at this tournament last year and showcased his world-class power with a runner-up finish at the AT&T Byron Nelson two weeks later and at the World Golf Championships (WGC) FedEx St. Jude Invitational in August. He had already won the Sanderson Farms Championship, which was part of the 2022 season, in October, and this time added a consecutive title at the event.
The previous day’s leader, rookie sensation Davis Riley, stopped at second place. Despite a "9-under par moving day spurt" that put him two strokes ahead, he finished with 1-over par on the final day, falling short by "2%." A triple bogey on the 5th hole (par 5) due to a "6-on 2-putt" stalled his momentum, and he made par on both playoff holes. Justin Thomas and Matthew NeSmith tied for third place (16-under par 268), while Brooks Koepka (all from the USA) tied for 12th place (11-under par 273). South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul (32) finished tied for 39th place (5-under par 279).
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