What to watch: 2018 Valspar Championship, final round

On Sunday, PGA TOUR LIVEand the Golf Channel will rebroadcast the final round of the 2018 Valspar Championship, the first of Paul Casey’s back-to-back wins at Innisbrook.

Here’s a preview that sets up the 2018 final round.

TOURNAMENT NOTES

One of the strongest fields in tournament history: The field included 90 PGA TOUR winners marking the 4th most of any event on the 2018 PGA TOUR.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were making tournament debuts.

Casey’s win was the second of his PGA TOUR career (in his 227th TOUR start).

Casey was 5 shots back entering the final round, tying the largest final-round comeback at this event (with Charl Schwartzel in 2016).

Casey was one of two winners in the 2017-18 TOUR season to rally from outside the top 10 entering the final round to win (Satoshi Kodaira, RBC Heritage, T-12)

Casey’s 6-under 65 ties for his third lowest final-round score (in relation to par) in his PGA TOUR career.

FINAL-ROUND HIGHLIGHTS

What to watch for in the final round of the 2018 Valspar Championship (all times ET):

1:50 p.m. – Tiger Woods opening tee shot in final round

Woods opened a tournament with three consecutive under-par rounds for the first time since the 2015 Wyndham Championship (T10). He has won 49 of the previous 96 events at which he opened with three under-par scores. Where was Paul Casey? When Tiger teed off, Paul Casey had already been on the golf course for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

3:21 p.m. – Paul Casey made birdie at 12 to tie the lead with Justin Rose

Casey began the day five shots off the lead and was nine groups -- or 1 hour 20 minutes -- ahead of the final pairing of the week (Corey Conners and Justin Rose).

3:30 p.m. – Paul Casey made birdie at 13 (3 in a row) for the outright lead

Casey was the only player in the final round to make birdies on holes 11, 12 and 13.

3:50 p.m. – Replay of Tiger’s hole out on 9th hole from the third round

The Copperhead course had 88 total hole-outs that week, marking the third most on the PGA TOUR in the 2017-18 season. Only Glen Abbey (99) and PGA National (89) had more.

4:01 p.m. – Sergio Garcia 6-under 65 ties for low round of the day with Casey

Sergio Garcia improved by eight shots on the weekend compared to his opening 36 holes, marking one of 13 times he has improved by eight or more shots in his final 36 holes of an event on TOUR. Garcia also moved from T-25 to solo fourth, marking his 13th event on TOUR where he has moved 20 or more positions in the final round.

4:38pm – Paul Casey completes his round

Casey completed his round 1 hour and 23 minutes ahead of the final group, marking the longest span of time between the eventual winner and the final putt of the tournament during the 2018 season (not including Monday finishes).

5:15pm – Tiger Woods goes to Snake Pit (final 3 holes)

Stat: The final three holes at Innisbrook were the 3rd toughest three finishing holes on the PGA TOUR in 2018 among non-majors (graphic below).

6:35pm – Tiger Woods birdie on 17:

Stat: 43’ 8” was the 4th longest put made in the final round and Tiger’s longest putt made during the 2017-18 PGA TOUR season

After Telecast / Valspar Championship Note

Stat: Casey’s five stroke final round come-from-behind victory in 2018 tied Charl Schwartzel (2016) for the largest such come back victory at the Valspar Championship.