First Round Leader Odds for 2021 Valspar Championship

• The Valspar Championship from Palm Harbor, FL tees off Thursday, April 29th
• Justin Thomas is the +2000 favorite to take the first round lead over Dustin Johnson
• See the best bets and odds to grab the first-round lead in the article below 

One week after the Zurich Classic team event in New Orleans, the PGA Tour heads to Palm Harbor, Florida for the always challenging Valspar Championship. The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook puts a premium on ball striking, with six of the last seven champions shooting no better than ten-under-par for the week.

The closing stretch of holes 15 through 17 are known as ‘the snake pit’, which helped contribute to this tournament being the third toughest on the schedule in 2019. With there being no tournament last year due to COVID-19, Paul Casey returns as the two-time defending champion.

Justin Thomas enters the week as the slight +800 favorite to win outright over Dustin Johnson. In this article, we’ll explore which players have the best chance of being the leader after day one at the Copperhead Course, along with what players are playing well on Thursday’s this season.

2021 Valspar Championship First Round Leader Odds

Odds as of April 28th

The forecast is expected to pretty similar the entire day, with a mix of sun and clouds with temperatures in the low 70’s in the morning, rising to the low 80’s come the afternoon. There’s a 20 percent chance of precipitation.

The wind will have gusts around 17 miles per hour in the morning and it’ll be consistent for the afternoon wave.

A benefit for those teeing it up early Thursday is the exact same as it is every week – less bumpy greens with fewer players chewing them up.

Cameron Tringale a Day One Darling

In four of his last six stroke play events, Cameron Tringale has shot a round in the 60’s on Thursday. In three of those four instances, he’s shot 67 or better. On the campaign, Tringale has been one of the best golfers in the first round with a scoring average of 68.69.

2020-21 PGA Tour First Round Scoring Average Leaders

He’s also coming off a pair of strong stroke play events, where he was T-9th at the Valero Texas Open and T-13th at the Honda Classic. He’s had success at this venue in the past, with third place, T-17 and T-25 showings.

In the last 24 rounds on tour, Tringale is fifth in SG: tee-to-green, eighth in ball striking and ninth in total strokes gained.

• Pick: Cameron Tringale (+5500)

Past Champ Hadwin a Good Play

Adam Hadwin won this championship in 2017, which is to date his lone PGA Tour victory. That week, he gained over nine shots on the field tee-to-green. In his title defense the next year, he had a very solid T-12 showing, where he then gained ten strokes on his competitors in the same category.

Subsequently, in his last twelve rounds at the Copperhead Course, Hadwin has been outstanding in several strokes gained categories.

Hadwin’s Strokes Gained Stats In Last 12 Rounds at Valspar

Additionally, before missing the cut at the RBC Heritage, Adam Hadwin put together three straight solid events, with T-8th, T-23rd and T-29th showings.

In those events, he gained a combined eight shots on the field tee-to-green and ten in strokes gained: putting making him an intriguing option at such long odds.

• Pick: Adam Hadwin (+8000)

Schwartzel Has Returned to Form

When looking for tremendous value down the board, Charl Schwartzel sticks out like a sore thumb. Last week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, he very nearly won, losing in a playoff with Louis Oosthuizen to the team of Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman. That was his fourth straight event making it to the weekend.

The South African won this tournament in 2016 and then backed that up with a sixth place result in 2017. In his last twelve rounds on this track, he, like Hadwin, has had a lot of success.

Schwartzel’s Strokes Gained Stats In Last 12 Rounds at Valspar

Considering he was part of a duo who was a runner-up last week and his strong prior record at the Valspar, these odds are incredibly juicy.

• Pick: Charl Schwartzel (+10000)