Viktor Hovland and Justin Thomas finished 1-2 at the Valspar Championship a year ago.
They return to the Tampa Bay area in promising form following The Players Championship, ready to take on the Valspar again beginning Thursday in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Hovland bested Thomas by a single stroke on the final day.
Thomas had made a late charge but bogeyed two of the final three holes at Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course, known as "the Snake Pit." Hovland, though, birdied two of those holes to swap positions with Thomas for the Norwegian's only win of 2025.
Hovland described the course as very narrow off the tee.
"If the wind starts blowing and they tuck the pins on each side, and the greens get very firm, it's very difficult to get close to the pins," Hovland said.
It really is a ball-striker's course, but if you short side yourself and you end up missing greens, which everyone is bound to do, you have to rely on some intricate short game shots around the greens as well.
So it really tests every single part of your game." Thomas was not dissuaded by his late stumble.
He picked up his lone win of 2025 a month later at the RBC Heritage, and he's encouraged by the fact that he has four top-10s at Innisbrook, including a T3 in 2022.
"It's a tournament that works in my schedule every year.
I love coming here," Thomas said.....
