The Power Fade: 2025 Valspar Championship
The Approach for Key fades at the 2025 Valspar Championship
What’s going on TJ Nation! Ann Arbor's Own Good Ol' AK Allen Klutts here bringing you another edition of the Power Fade: The Fades 8K and Above You Need to Smash Your DraftKings GPP's!
After a Monday finish that saw Rory McIlroy take down the PLAYERS Championship on St. Patty's Day, we head to the Tampa area for the Valspar.
The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook plays host to our final stop on the Florida Swing. A Par 71, featuring 5 par 3's, Copperhead also has the infamous "Snake Pit" that has bitten many a man down the stretch.
Iron play and Par 3 scoring will be two stats that weigh heavy this week. Two of the par 3's on back nine play as the toughest holes on the course, as water lurks with virtually every pin placement. Scrambling around these bermuda greens will also be a key factor in success this week.
Historically one of the tougher events on the PGA TOUR, Players will be doing the Lord's work if they can crack double digits under par. I would expect a winning score this week to be between -8 to -10.
As we wrap another year of the Florida Swing, let us take a look at who will be bitten by the Snake Pit. Bring on the Power Fades for the Valspar Championship!
Will Zalatoris ($9,300)
Our first Power Fade of the week seems custom made for these grinder events. Although he has flashed some form, Will Zalatoris at $9,300 on DraftKings is our first Power Fade.
Why The Fade Works:
Willy Z is quite the enigma. On one hand, with his iron play Zalatoris should shoot double digits under par every week. The putter however has always been his downfall. This continues to hold true this week as Willy Z ranks 120th in SG Putting.
While putting is the main concern with Willy Z, his Scrambling Around the Green leaves less to be desired. Ranking 99th in SARG is scary, especially on a week where if you miss the green you can find trouble.
If your a loyal follower of the PF, you know one of my favorite stats is Par 3 Scoring. In a week where 5 difficult Par 3's (Averaging 204 yards) come into play, you need to hold firm on these holes. Zalatoris has not done this very well, ranking 78th.Â
While Willy Z seems like a trendy play this week, especially considering the irons have looked good the last two weeks, it is hard to ignore the putting struggles and ARG issues. I'd much rather spend the extra money for Shane Lowry. Even riskier, maybe even pay down for the potential upside of Jordan Spieth.
Sam Burns ($9,800)
Our second Power Fade of the week should be a popular play this week for the course history buffs, but his current form scream FADE! Sam Burns, a two time Valspar champion is our second Power Fade of the week.
Why The Fade Works:
Sam Burns certainly has success around Innisbrook. That being said, he has come to the Snake Pit in much better form then what we see today.
Burns irons have been brutal of late, losing in three straight events and not even sniffing breaking even. losing nearly 13 strokes over the last 3 events is wildly troubling. This certainly lends support to Burns ranking 135th in SG Approach in this field.
Burns hasn't been much better when it comes to scrambling. Ranking 90th is a huge concern, especially considering his irons have been horrid.
Overall, I think we need to pass on Burns and just find a way to spend money on the 10K range, if not starting our lineups with two 10K studs.
That's it folks for this week's edition of the Power Fade! We will return to you next week we head to Texas and the Houston Open!
Follow me on X @AllenKlutts and on Instagram @Allen_Klutts906
Until Next Time.... Be Bold, Be Brave, and Let's Ride the Power Fade!
"While Willy Z seems like a trendy play this week, especially considering the irons have looked good the last two weeks, it is hard to ignore the putting struggles and ARG issues. I'd much rather spend the extra money for Shane Lowry. Even riskier, maybe even pay down for the potential upside of Jordan Spieth."
— AK
Meet the Author:
Allen Klutts
A long time Tour Junkies fan and Nut Hut Member, Allen has always been an enthusiastic PGA DFS player and is looking to bring that passion to his writing. A frequent participant on the Wednesday Night Live Stage Chat, who DB once compared to Norm from the TV show "Cheers" for always kicking off the live stage segment, Allen lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife and two year old son.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions, and commentary in this post belong to its author and do not necessarily represent the Tour Junkies as a whole.