Sam Burns (27, USA), who debuted on the US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour in 2017, explodes when he participates in the Valspar Championship. He has won 2 out of 4 career victories in this tournament. Burns will compete in the Val Spa Championship (total prize money of 25 million dollars), which opens on the 16th at the Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course (par 71, 7340 yards) in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA, and challenge the record of three consecutive victories in a single event. 메이저사이트
The Valspar Championship is held between the Players Championship, the largest prize money event of the season, and the World Golf Championship (WGC) Dell Technologies Match Play (total prize money of 20 million dollars), which is held next week, so most of the top players chose to take a break. Among the top 10 in the world ranking, Justin Thomas (30, USA), who is ranked 10th, is the only one. Within the top 20, Matt Fitzpatrick (England, 13th) and Jordan Spieth (USA, 14th) compete. So Burns, ranked 15th in the world, is a good opportunity to rise to the top. If Sam Burns wins, he will record three consecutive victories in a single tournament in 12 years on the PGA Tour since Steve Stricker (USA) of the John Deere Classic in 2009-2011.
After reporting his first win on the PGA Tour at the Valspar Championship in 2021, Burns won the Sanderson Farms Championship in October of the same year, and succeeded in defending the title by defeating Davis Riley (USA) in overtime at the Valspar Championship last year. He also reported 4 career victories at the Charles Schwab Challenge in May of last year. The Innisbrook Resort course, the site of the competition, is notorious enough to be nicknamed the ‘Snake Pit’ because of its snake-like twists and turns. In particular, the 16th to 18th holes are the winning spots. Hole 16 (par 4) with a large snake sculpture that flicks its tongue has a very narrow fairway and even has a large hazard on the right. In hole 17 (par 3), the green is narrow and long, and four bunkers surround the green, so even if you put it on the green at once, 3 putts are common. Hole 18 (par 4) also has bunkers in front and behind the green, so it is very important to make precise shots.