Sleeper Picks: Valspar Championship

Wyndham Clark (+140 = Top 20) … It’s impossible to ignore a guy who’s connected 10 cuts made over the last five months, four of which going for a top 20, including a T10 as a Sleeper at the WM Phoenix Open. As one of the longest hitters on the PGA TOUR, he pays it off on the par 5s on which he ranks T27, but he’s been leveling out a skill set that once relied more on power and putting than the iteration that’s yielded an elevated level of consistency. This is his fourth appearance at Copperhead where his best finish was a T37 in his debut in 2019, but the improvements he’s made should generate a personal best.

Will Gordon (+270 = Top 20) … Fresh off a T54 in his debut at THE PLAYERS Championship where his second-round 67 was matched only by 36-hole leader Adam Svensson, he presents as a threat when ball-striking plays up. Case in point, he led the field at TPC Sawgrass in par-3 scoring and ranked T4 in greens hit. It’s an aggressive send for this prop, but the same formula applies to Copperhead where he’s also making his first appearance. Currently 10th on the PGA TOUR in total driving and fifth in greens in regulation, he’s been busy cashing 11 checks this season.

Adam Schenk … Tied for second on the PGA TOUR with 16 starts – he’s one short of Ryan Brehm – and he’s cashed in 11, seven of which for a top 40, so there’s your market if one is made available. He’s also 2-for-2 at Copperhead with a T18 in 2021 when he ranked second in greens hit and eighth in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. His primary strength is the short game, so the angle is to rely on the experience and some success to set the stage for it to do work.

Henrik Norlander … The 35-year-old veteran from Sweden has been all or nothing for as long as you can remember, so he’s more of a roll of the dice than he is a Sleeper, but his fit for Copperhead is a good one. His propensity to fire at and hit greens in regulation eases the pressure off his putting, which is his glaring weakness, but sometimes it all comes together as it did in Puerto Rico two weeks ago. En route to a T15, he ranked T6 in GIR and led the field in scrambling. When that combination is that strong, it’s hard to finish outside the top 10, but it’s evidence of his swing across the spectrum. An intriguing thought is how well he’s played at Sea Island. Yes, that is exposed on the coastline in Georgia, but it proves that his ability to retain control of his irons in the wind is a bit of a superpower. He also has one of the lowest ball flights on TOUR, so that will be ideal with strong gusts looming.

Vincent Norrman … The 25-year-old rookie, also from Sweden, had been pretty quiet until rising for a career-best T21 in Puerto Rico two weeks ago. It’s his fourth payday in five starts and sixth of the season. While he fits the proper profile to hit greens in regulation and score on the quartet of par 5s, his experience on the course should make him feel more like a veteran. Although it was in college at Georgia Southwestern, he finished a respective T5, third and T7 in the Copperhead Championship from 2017-2019. Reps are reps, and timing of this return favors continuation of his momentum.

Odds were sourced on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. For live odds, visit BetMGM.

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