To say Kevin Streelman’s first-round efficiency on the 2024 Valspar Championship got here out of skinny air could be a little bit of an understatement. The longtime PGA Tour veteran has struggled in his first six begins of the season, however there have been no points to be seen Thursday as Streelman turned again the clock and opened with a bogey-free 7-under 64 on the Copperhead Course to take the first-round lead.
“You do not try to take a look at it as do I see a spherical coming,” Streelman mentioned. “It simply sort of like I am making an attempt to … I felt some actually good emotions on the vary this week and within the pro-am, and it is sort of cool little new ball marker I am utilizing that’s authorized that may sort of provide you with some visible cues that I feel is fairly useful, I used to be utilizing that at present which I feel sort of helped as effectively. However, yeah, it was a kind of, the putter simply felt nice and I noticed the traces and was rolling it nice and was capable of drop some putts.”
A winner right here in 2013, Streelman arrived in Palm Harbor, Florida, contemporary off rounds of 77-75 eventually week’s Gamers Championship that noticed the Duke product not solely miss the minimize however end close to the very backside of the leaderboard. This had kind of develop into the norm for Streelman in 2024; he had missed three different cuts to associate with a withdrawal from the Farmers Insurance coverage Open.
Typically, a change of surroundings or enjoying at a snug location is all that’s required for these guys to rediscover their recreation. Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth are conscious of this sentiment as they signed for rounds of 3-under 68 and 2-under 69 on Thursday after lacking the minimize on the Gamers Championship.
Final week’s runner-up, Xander Schauffele, got here dwelling in 68 as effectively and appears to make amends after a disappointing Sunday at TPC Sawgrass. Nick Taylor and Keith Mitchell spherical out the notables on the primary couple pages of the leaderboard heading into what might be a weather-affected subsequent two days at Innisbrook.
Let’s check out what occurred within the first spherical on the 2024 Valspar Championship and what to anticipate shifting ahead.
The leaders
1. Kevin Streelman (-7)
2. Kevin Roy (-6)
T3. Adam Svensson, Carl Yuan, Peter Malnati (-5)
The final month has not been sort to Svensson; he had missed three straight cuts coming into the week. This got here as considerably of a shock because the Canadian rolled on the Genesis Invitational en path to a T10 end as a precursor to the Florida swing. For no matter motive, Svensson’s type has not translated to the Sunshine State, however he appears to make amends this week following a 5-under 66 in Spherical 1.
“It has been a tough couple weeks, but it surely looks like the ball putting got here round and hit it fairly good at present,” Svensson mentioned. “I made some good putts, only one 3-putt. Simply wanting ahead to tomorrow and see what occurs…I do not know [why I have struggled in Florida]. I am not too certain. I all the time appear to play poorly in this type of stretch, after which I sort of choose it up on the finish of the 12 months. I am not too certain why. It simply occurs.”
Different contenders
T6. Hayden Springer, Brendon Todd, Keith Mitchell, Aaron Baddeley, Rico Hoey, Chez Reavie, Ryan Palmer (-4)
T13. Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Justin Suh, Seamus Energy, Mackenzie Hughes and others (-3)
It has been a bit of little bit of a wierd begin to 2024 for Thomas. He is performed some nice golf with excessive finishes at The American Specific and Arnold Palmer Invitational however missed the cuts on the Genesis Invitational and Gamers Championship. The excellent news is Thomas’ typical iron play has returned this season and was on full show Thursday, rating inside the highest 10 in strokes gained strategy. The dangerous information is the motive force continues to be uncooperative, which is one thing to observe as main championship season attracts close to.
“I simply wasn’t sort of trusting it and sort of getting by it,” mentioned Thomas. “I simply was sort of getting caught and sort of flipping at it. It was good to hit a great drive on the final gap, I simply felt like I really dedicated to hitting a minimize and sort of overlaying it a bit of bit extra. I hit some stunning irons at present, so I do know that these swings, the great swings, are in there, it was simply one thing about when it was getting a bit of longer it was getting a bit of free.”
Climate rolling into the realm
Circumstances have been very best Thursday on the Valspar Championship, however that could be the tip of that as inclement climate rolls into the realm. Friday and Saturday might be affected by storms with roughly an inch of rain anticipated to fall within the Palm Harbor space. Not solely will the rain pose issues for gamers and the tempo of play, however winds are forecasted to blow a constant 20 mph.
2024 Valspar Championship replace odds, picks
Odds by way of Sportsline consensus
- Xander Schauffele: 5-1
- Justin Thomas: 10-1
- Nick Taylor: 15-1
- Jordan Spieth: 18-1
- Keith Mitchell: 18-1
- Kevin Streelman: 22-1
- Adam Hadwin: 22-1
Predicting the remainder of this event might be a crapshoot given the anticipated climate, however Thomas at 10-1 appears appetizing. If he drives the ball higher over the following 54 holes, the 15-time winner must be effectively positioned to select up No. 16 at a spot the place he has come shut earlier than. Coming into the week, Thomas had collected 5 high 20s in six appearances.