PGA Tour 2022: Valspar Championship betting preview

With March Madness underway this is an interesting week to also be betting golf, or to just be betting golf if that is your thing. I am hoping we can catch the sportsbooks a little off-guard, especially after the wildness of last week's Player's Championship. 

This is a pretty strong field overall for an event that will be a little off the radar this week. Justin Thomas is the favorite but there is a group of five or six golfers at the top of the odds board that could easily win it.  

Dustin Johnson is one of the most recognizable players on the Tour but he has been pretty quiet this season. He did finish in the top ten last week so perhaps he is ready to get a run of good performances going. 

This is the final leg of the PGA Tour's Florida swing. 

Tournament Info

Date: Mar 17–20, 2022
Course: Copperhead Course
TV: GOLF, NBC
Purse: $7,800,000

Top Odds

• Justin Thomas +1000
• Viktor Hovland +1100
• Collin Morikawa +1100
• Dustin Johnson +1400
• Xander Schauffele +2000
• Louis Oosthuizen +2200
• Sam Burns +2200
• Tyrrell Hatton +2200
• Brooks Koepka +2500
• Matt Fitzpatrick +2500
• Shane Lowry +2500

Bets to Consider

Russell Knox +5500

Knox gained almost 60 spots in the World Golf Rankings after last week's 6th place finish in the Player's Championship. Even though he did not win the event, this is a chance to ride a hot hand. He was 21st last year so there is some comfort with the course here too. He is not the biggest hitter, but that is not what you need to compete on this course. 

Dustin Johnson +1400

Johnson shot a 63 in the final round last week. If he can carry that form into this event he is a great value at just 4th in the odds table. We know he is good enough to win almost any event, we just haven't seen it in the last couple of years on the Tour. Not since the 2020 Masters. 

Kevin Kisner Top 20 (+270)

Kisner has played 6 PGA Tour events in 2022. In three of those he has finished in the top ten, while the other three included two missed cuts and a 38th place finish at the Phoenix Open. His history at this event has been mixed too but he is in good form to press the leaders this week. 

Gary Woodland +6600

Woodland won this event more than 10 years ago in 2011. His recent play suggests that maybe he is due to add a fourth PGA Tour win. He missed the cut last week but the two tour stops prior to that he finished tied for 5th, so he has been pretty close. We are getting a great payoff for a past winner in this spot.