While it required an extra week beyond his initial hopes, Matt Fitzpatrick clinched a come-from-behind triumph on Sunday, securing a one-stroke victory at the 2026 Valspar Championship to mark his first PGA Tour win since 2023. Fitzpatrick, who had narrowly missed breaking his winless streak at The Players Championship, instead achieved success 250 miles further south, just outside the city of Tampa, Florida.
On this occasion, Fitzpatrick managed to fend off David Lipsky, who was in the following group, claiming a rally victory with a round of 3-under 68, propelling him to 11 under par for the tournament. The champion of the 2022 U.S. Open started the day three strokes behind Sungjae Im, who had led after 18, 36, and 54 holes. Im, however, faltered with a 2-over 74, which included four bogeys over his initial eight holes.
Fitzpatrick quickly ascended to share the lead at 9 under as Im regressed towards the rest of the field. Both Im and the week’s biggest revelation, 45-year-old Brandt Snedeker, struggled to generate any positive momentum while playing in the final pairing, and by the time they reached the final nine holes, they had fallen out of contention.
The competition throughout the back nine proved to be a grueling affair, with every player in the last few groups finding it challenging to execute precise shots on an increasingly demanding golf course. Fitzpatrick ultimately managed to pull away from the competitors, seizing the outright lead at 10 under with a lengthy 30-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th hole.
Lipsky swiftly matched him with a birdie in the group behind on the par-5 14th, and as they proceeded into the notoriously difficult “Snake Pit” stretch, the championship was up for grabs for anyone. Fitzpatrick and Lipsky both carded pars on the 16th before hitting excellent tee shots on the lengthy par-3 17th, landing within 15 feet of the pin; however, neither player was able to convert the birdie opportunity. On the 18th hole, Fitzpatrick skillfully navigated his drive into the tight fairway, which enabled him to strike a precise approach shot to 14 feet below the hole, where he once again sank a critical putt to take the advantage.
This time, Lipsky was unable to respond after driving his ball into the rough, settling only for a par. This handed Fitzpatrick the clear victory, which felt like a measure of vindication after his outstanding performance in the closing stages at TPC Sawgrass, only to be outdone by the exceptional play of Cameron Young.
This triumph marks Fitzpatrick’s first since the 2023 RBC Heritage, and it solidifies his standing as one of the premier players on the PGA Tour this season. Following a modest 2024 and a slow beginning in 2025, Fitzpatrick began to elevate his performance in the middle of last year and maintained that impetus with an impressive start to 2026. Nevertheless, he required a win to truly confirm his re-emergence at the pinnacle of the sport, and on Sunday, he achieved precisely that through a comeback effort on a formidable course. Evaluation: A+
Presented below are the evaluations for other notable competitors on the leaderboard at the 2026 Valspar Championship.
3. Jordan Smith (-9): Smith’s final-round score of 5-under 66 on Sunday positioned him as the clubhouse leader for an extended duration, though Fitzpatrick and Lipsky eventually surpassed him. Despite this, Smith’s surge in the final round secured his highest career placement and only his second career top-10 finish on the PGA Tour, a significant achievement for the English golfer, who accumulated valuable FedEx Cup points this week. Evaluation: A-
T4. Xander Schauffele (-8): Before Smith reached 9 under, Schauffele’s 8 under held the clubhouse lead longer than he probably anticipated. His 6-under 65 was among the best rounds of the day, and he will likely feel a sense of frustration for not having performed better on Friday and Saturday to establish a stronger position to capitalize on any Sunday struggles from the front-runners. Schauffele’s game continues to progress favorably, but the ultimate challenge lies in consistently assembling a full 72 holes to end his period without a win. Evaluation: B
T4. Sungjae Im (-8): All Im needed on Sunday was an even-par score in the final round to secure the win, but he experienced an early collapse with five bogeys across his initial 10 holes (without any birdies during that stretch). He did mount something of a recovery on the back nine to maintain a spot within the top 10, but this championship was within his grasp, and he simply could not retain the ultimate prize. Overall, Im displayed promising signs this week after a challenging first two starts of the season, and he will aim to build upon his performance from the first three days to position himself for future contention. Still, this should have been the third PGA Tour victory of his career; instead, he received minimal television coverage on the back nine. Evaluation: B-
T11. Jordan Spieth (-6): Spieth’s performance continues to offer indications that he is beginning to regain his peak form, yet it remains difficult to harbor significant optimism about his chances of winning given his persistent struggles in completing consistent rounds. Sunday’s final round, a 68, was his strongest of the week, but he had numerous chances throughout the event to post scores in the mid-60s, only to conclude his rounds with a 69 or 70. This consistency is the next hurdle for Spieth, but it is evident that his game is generally in a strong state. Evaluation: B-
T14. Brandt Snedeker (-5): The most compelling narrative of the week did not culminate in the storybook ending that many observers desired. Snedeker held the outright lead early on the front nine on Sunday, but after resiliently navigating his way to the top throughout the week, his inconsistent ball-striking ultimately undermined him in the final round. Assigning a precise evaluation to Snedeker’s week is somewhat challenging. While he made his first cut of the year and represented the tournament’s biggest surprise, it is improbable that he will encounter a more favorable opportunity for a 10th career PGA Tour victory. In the immediate aftermath, that latter consideration will likely occupy his thoughts, but eventually, he should reflect positively on this week, despite its challenging Sunday conclusion. Evaluation: B
T19. Brooks Koepka (-4): The positive aspect for Koepka is that his putting was not a hindrance, as he ranked 26th in strokes gained putting, and he continues to be recognized as one of the PGA Tour’s premier ball-strikers. The negative aspect is that he performed poorly off the tee and around the greens on a course where proficiency in those areas is crucial. Nevertheless, progress is being achieved, and if he can refine his driving, combined with his strong iron play and a putter that is no longer problematic, he has the potential to be a formidable contender this year. The advancement might be occurring slower than he would prefer, but it is undeniably present. Evaluation: C+
T30. Justin Thomas (-3): An unexceptional week for J.T. His iron play remains an ongoing area for improvement, and he is still endeavoring to integrate all components of his game following a prolonged absence. Evaluation: C
