The PGA Tour heads to Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club – Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida, for the 2026 Valspar Championship. It’s a par 71 that runs over 7,300 yards, including the infamous “Snake Pit” on the closing three holes.
Last year’s winner, Viktor Hovland, returns as one of the betting favorites. Justin Thomas carded a solo runner-up finish, while Jacob Bridgeman wound up with a solo third-place finish. As a result, all three golfers are heavily priced in DFS formats ahead of Round 1 on Thursday.
My PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 The Players Championship) had a couple of strong performances from Tier 2, while Tier 1 and Tier 3 selections did not have high production. Jacob Bridgeman and Akshay Bhatia went T5 and T13, respectively. Collin Morikawa’s early withdrawal cost us our premier Tier 1 golfer, while Si Woo Kim carded a pedestrian T50. Tier 3 golfers Keith Mitchell (T46) and Harry Hall (MC) also did nothing to boost our lineups.
The Copperhead Course is going to challenge golfers from tee-to-green due to narrow fairways and four-inch Bermudagrass rough. All surfaces are overseeded Bermudagrass, with the Stimpmeter projecting 12.5-foot putting velocity. Of course, like all Florida courses on the PGA Tour, water hazards are also abundant.
Let’s get back on track with six new golfers to target in DraftKings and FanDuel DFS lineups ahead of the 2026 Valspar Championship on Thursday. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more DFS picks and insight during the 2026 PGA Tour season.
PGA DFS: Top Golfers (2026 Valspar Championship)
DraftKings Salary: $50,000 | FanDuel Salary: $60,000
TIER 1
| Golfer | DK $ | FD $ |
| Akshay Bhatia | $10,000 | $11,400 |
| Jacob Bridgeman | $9,600 | $10,900 |
We’re now paying even more than last week to acquire Akshay Bhatia as our primary Tier 1 golfer. His elevated salary remains justified, as Bhatia is riding a heater, recording a playoff win at Bay Hill, while collecting two other top 10 finishes and five consecutive top 20 finishes.
Bhatia’s last outing at Innisbrook led to a T17 finish in 2024. He’s ranked fifth in total strokes gained this season, including ninth in SG: Approach and 10th in SG: Putting.
It’s why Bhatia is 12th or better in scoring average, birdie average, and par 4 scoring. Pay up to land Bhatia in lineups at the Valspar Championship this week.
Jacob Bridgeman is equally hot on the golf course, which is why he’s moved up to Tier 1. It helps knowing that Bridgeman, who just won his first PGA Tour event against a loaded field at The Genesis Invitational, had a solo third-place finish at Innisbrook last season.
In 2026, Bridgeman paces all PGA Tour golfers in total strokes gained and SG: Putting. He’s also 31st in SG: Approach. As a result, Bridgeman is either first or second in scoring average, par 4 scoring, and birdie average.
Bridgeman has yet to log a finish outside the top 20 in seven events this season. Don’t hesitate to insert the PGA Tour’s best putter into your DFS lineups.
TIER 2
| Golfer | DK $ | FD $ |
| Nicolai Højgaard | $8,900 | $10,500 |
| Ryo Hisatsune | $8,600 | $10,000 |
Nicolai Højgaard has only played Innisbrook once, resulting in a missed cut last year during his debut. Now, the Denmark native returns with more momentum, including a pair of top 10 finishes.
Højgaard ranks seventh in total strokes gained. He’s 18th in SG: Approach, 26th in SG: Putting, and 10th in scrambling.
Højgaard has yet to miss a cut in 2026. He’s also finished inside the top 30 in all five events, so we’re landing a high-floor player with the potential for high-ceiling production in DFS lineups this week.
Next up, we’re going to back the tee-to-green tactician, Ryo Hisatsune. The Japanese native has been consistent with his play in 2026, logging three top 10 finishes.
Hisatsune has not been as productive during the Florida swing, however, he just carded a T13 finish at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday. Ranks 15th in SG: Off-the-Tee, including 25th for driving accuracy, plus he’s 22nd in SG: Approach.
Hisatsune is also top 40 in par 4 scoring, birdie average, and scoring average. Best of all, he’s coming off a T4 finish at the 2025 Valspar Championship. Prioritize Hisatsune in Tier 2.
TIER 3
| Golfer | DK $ | FD $ |
| Austin Smotherman | $7,400 | $9,200 |
| Billy Horschel | $7,200 | $8,500 |
This week marks Austin Smotherman’s third appearance at Innisbrook. Previous appearances led to T25 and T36 finishes, although it’s been a few years since we’ve seen Smotherman play the Copperhead Course.
2026 has been a great campaign for Smotherman. He’s logged a runner-up finish, a T8, and just tallied a T13 finish during The Players Championship.
Smotherman leads the PGA Tour in SG: Approach, which is huge for a course like Copperhead. He’s also 28th in SG: Off-the-Tee, including 20th for driving accuracy, and 12th in proximity.
Putting is the primary weakness for Smotherman. However, I’m willing to overlook that part of his game to prioritize his tee-to-green accuracy, among the best that Tier 3 has to offer.
Let’s finish with Billy Horschel. The Florida native has not had a strong year so far, yet he’s coming off a season-best T13 finish at TPC Sawgrass.
Horschel has gone T12-T4 in his last two trips to the Valspar Championship. It’s enough to warrant plugging Horschel into DFS lineups this week, especially coming off a top 20 finish.
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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.