Sam Burns (27, USA, photo), who debuted on the US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour in 2017, explodes when he participates in the Valspa 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. 메이저놀이터
The Valspar Championship is held between the Players Championship, the biggest prize money event of the season, and the World Golf Championship (WGC) Dell Technologies Match Play (total prize money of 20 million dollars), which will be held next week, so most of the top players chose to take a break. Among the world ranking top 10, Justin Thomas (30, USA), who is ranked 10th, is the only participant. Within the top 20, Matt Fitzpatrick (England, 13th) and Jordan Spieth (USA, 14th) come out. Therefore, it is a good opportunity for Burns, who is ranked 15th in the world, to rise above the top. If Burns wins, it will record three consecutive victories in a single event in 12 years on the PGA Tour since Steve Stricker (USA) of the John Deere Classic in 2009-2011.
After reporting his first PGA Tour win 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, holes 16 to 18 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.