What a finish! Matt Fitzpatrick claims victory at the 2026 Valspar Championship. With a birdie on the final green, the Englishman snatched the title, finishing a strong 11-under par, one shot ahead of David Lipsky. This success at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort is Fitzpatrick's third PGA Tour triumph and his first since the 2023 RBC Heritage – ending a nearly three-year drought.
The Englishman, who unluckily missed out the previous week at The Players Championship when Cameron Young overtook him on the final hole, showed an impressive reaction. He started the final round three shots behind Sungjae Im, but played a bogey-free 3-under 68, delivering rounds of 68-69-69-68. The key moment was a 30-foot putt on the par-3 15th, which put him in the lead, before he sealed the victory on the par-4 18th with a 302-yard drive and a wedge to 14 feet from the flag. Truly impressive!
Clutch Moments on the Copperhead Course
David Lipsky, who finished in second place at 10-under par, missed a long birdie putt on the 18th. Jordan Smith secured third place at 9-under, while Xander Schauffele, Marco Penge, and Sungjae Im shared fourth place at 8-under. For his victory, Fitzpatrick pockets a hefty $1.638 million from the $9.1 million prize fund.
The Road Back to the Top
The Copperhead Course presented itself firm and fast under sunny conditions, with greens showing early discoloration even from the opening round, challenging the strong field. Fitzpatrick emphasized how much confidence he gained from his solid play at The Players – where he led in driving accuracy – and his strong driving this week. After a brief dip in form due to focusing on speed training post-2023, things are now back on track. With top finishes at the PGA Championship (T8) and The Open Championship (T4) last year, as well as a playoff victory against Rory McIlroy on the DP World Tour in November, he has shown: Matt Fitzpatrick is fully back in contention.
