Key Fantasy Stats Valspar

Valspar Championship

March 10th – 13th, 2016

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course)

Palm Harbor, Fla.

Par: 71 / Yardage: 7,340

Purse: $6.1 million

with $1,098,000 to the winner

Defending Champion:
Jordan Spieth

by Sal Johnson

Founder, Chief Data Officer, GOLFstats

E-mail me at:
sal@golfstats.com

This is based on the most important stats for Copperhead Course, based on data from last years Valspar Championship, and using data from all the players in the field with stats from 2016. What we do is take their rank for each stat and then add up the four catagories.
The scoring average of the field at Copperhead in 2015 was 71.86, so with par being 71 that means the average score was three quarter of a shot over par, making Copperhead the 10th hardest course to score on in 2015 (only eight courses played harder). It’s also important to see how the weather played a factor, last year’s weather was pretty good with winds blowing between 10 and 15 mph. Saturday had the worst as there were gusts up to 25 mph. This year the weather will be good on Thursday and Friday, with showers on Saturday and 60% chance of rain on Sunday. Winds are predicted to be around 15 mph, with it growing to 13 mph on Sunday so it will be pretty good and I can see scores inch down a bit

In looking at the stats for Cooperhead last year Greens hit, Driving Accuracy and putting from 4 to 8 feet are important. Last we pick par breakers because last year it was 6th in birdie average and T-3rd in total number of eagles.

So how did the winner Jordan Spieth become victorious last year? In strokes gained tee to green, Overall putting average and 3-putt avoidance Spieth was 1st. He made 19 birdies for the week and was ranked T-2nd

In our key stats Spieth ranked T-34th in greens in regulation, T-51st in Fairway Accuracy and 56th in putting 4 to 8 feet. He was T-2nd in Par Breakers.

*Greens in Regulation: Since the greens average 7,500 square feet normally they would be easy to hit. But since there is a lot of undulation, hitting it to the perfect place is important. Last year on the PGA Tour, the greens of Innisbrook were the 11th hardest to hit. This has been the norm for Innisbrook, in 2014 it ranked 14th, and 9th in 2013. So a player that hits lots of greens will have an advantage.

*Driving Accuracy: Percentage of fairways hit, last year Innisbrook finished 28th in this stat and was 26th in 2014.

*Putting from 4 to 8 feet: No matter how good your game is, you have to make these putts in order to win. Last year Innisbrook ranked 2nd hardest so it’s a hard stat for players on this course.

*Par Breakers: The course is so demanding that making a lot of birdies and eagles aren’t possible. So players that are able to make a lot will do well on this course which ranked 6th in this stat on tour in 2015.

For the field last year:

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.