Palm Harbor, Florida ….
It was August 2018 when now 45-year-old Brandt Snedeker captured his ninth and a last PGA Tour title.
Snedker’s victory winning a second Wyndham Championship also proudly was his 13th pro career triumph.
Now with a round to play in the Valspar Championship the present World No. 306th ranked player heads to the final round tied in second place at nine-under and just two shots behind Sunjae Im who continues to lead the $US 9.1m event at 11-under on the host Copperhead course.
Snedeker replied to questions what it would mean to him if he won and he replied: “It’s been a lot of fun. I had a great pairing today with Gary, he’s a buddy of mine, you know and we were walking down 14 together and looked at each other, like it’s fun playing these late Saturday rounds together.
PRIMED TO END 8-YEAR WINLESS DROUGHT ….
Brandt Snedker @WyndhamRewards @Workday last tasted success with a ninth @PGATOUR in 2018. The 45-year old heads into last day @ValsparChamp just two off the lead @Innisbrook
Read: https://t.co/Z4dDCApw1I
PGAT
✅ @TOURMIS pic.twitter.com/buzO3ERLi6
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) March 22, 2026
“So I’m going to do that tomorrow, I’m going to enjoy my late Sunday round tomorrow and go have some fun”.
And while Im is in the driver’s seat to end his own five-year winless run in capturing a third PGA Tour title, and also in returning to the Tour post recent injury.
Q. Injury, sorry. Coming back from the wrist injury, at what point did you start feeling like your swing was back, things were finally falling back into place? Was it this week or was it before?
SUNGJAE IM: So at the weekend of the PLAYERS I felt like my swing was starting to come back and I got a good feeling about it. I’ve been leaning into that this week. Yeah, kind of just going on the momentum of that.
Q. Golf’s never easy, but did you think it would be four years since your last win?
SUNGJAE IM: Yeah, I know it’s been four years, but within that period of time I’ve been able to play really well. I’ve had some second and third places. For me, just being able to finish within the top and to have success in that way is important for me and been something that I’ve been happy with.
Third-Round Notes – Saturday, March 21, 2026
Weather: Sunny and warm. High of 73. Wind NW 6-15 mph.
Third-Round Leaderboard
| Pos. | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
| 1 | Sungjae Im | 64 | 69 | 69 | 202 (-11) |
| T2 | Brandt Snedeker | 65 | 72 | 67 | 204 (-9) |
| T2 | David Lipsky | 69 | 65 | 70 | 204 (-9) |
| T4 | Marco Penge | 69 | 68 | 68 | 205 (-8) |
| T4 | Matt Fitzpatrick | 68 | 69 | 68 | 205 (-8) |
Sungjae Im (1st/-11)
- Cards a third-round 69 to hold a two-stroke lead over Brandt Snedeker and David Lipsky
- Holds 54-hole lead/co-lead for the second time on TOUR (2022 Wyndham Championship/finished T2); 0-for-1 in converting to victory
- Making his third start on TOUR this season after suffering from wrist injury in January (MC/Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, MC/THE PLAYERS Championship)
- Making fourth Valspar Championship appearance (T4/2019, T29/2021, MC/2024)
- Most recent top-10 finish on TOUR: T5/2025 Masters Tournament
- Seeks third TOUR title in 211 career starts at the age of 27 years, 11 months, 22 days (2020 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, 2021 Shriners Children’s Open)
- Looks to join K.J. Choi (2002, 2006) as the second South Korean player to win the Valspar Championship
- Looks to become the second wire-to-wire winner on TOUR this season (Justin Rose/Farmers Insurance Open) and to join K.J. Choi (2002) as the only wire-to-wire winners of the Valspar Championship
- No player who has held a 54-hole lead/co-lead during the Florida Swing this season has gone onto win
| 2026 Florida Swing 54-Hole Lead/Co-Leaders Tournament Finish | |||
| Player | Event | Strokes Ahead | Finish |
| Sungjae Im | Valspar Championship | 2 | TBD |
| Ludvig Åberg | THE PLAYERS Championship | 3 | T5 |
| Daniel Berger | Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard | 1 | 2 |
| Shane Lowry | Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches | 0 | T2 |
| Austin Smotherman | Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches | 0 | T2 |
Brandt Snedeker (T2/-9)
- Cards bogey-free 4-under 67, tied for the low round of the day with Adrien Dumont de Chassart and S.H. Kim
- Seeks his 10th PGA TOUR victory in 468th start at 45 years, 3 months, 14 days
- With a win, would move to T109 in the all-time PGA TOUR wins list; the only other active players with 10 wins is Xander Schauffele
- Last top-10 on TOUR: T9/2025 Bank of Utah Championship
- Making 14th Valspar Championship appearance, highlighted by two top-10 finishes (T8/2008, 4th/2011)
- Made his first cut in five starts this season at the Valspar Championship
David Lipsky (T2/-9)
- Cards 1-under 70 in the third round to sit two shots behind Im
- Seeks first PGA TOUR title in 145th career starts at the age of 37 years, 8 months, 8 days
- Making his fifth start on TOUR this season (T44/The American Express, T18/Farmers Insurance Open, MC/Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, T37/Puerto Rico Open)
- Best finish on TOUR: 2nd/2024 Procore Championship
- Making fifth Valspar Championship appearance (T68/2022, T36/2023, MC/2024, T57/2025)
- Seeks to become seventh player to earn their first victory at the Valspar Championship and first since Taylor Moore (2023)
Miscellaneous Notes
- Matt Fitzpatrick and PGA TOUR rookie Marco Penge both sit at 8-under (T4); they seek to join Luke Donald (2012) and Paul Casey (2018, 2019) as players from England to win the Valspar Championship
- Fitzpatrick seeks third TOUR title in his 183rd start, while Penge looks to secure his first TOUR title in 13th start and become the first rookie to win on TOUR since Michael Brennan (2025 Bank of Utah Championship)
- After posting a front nine 3-under 33, Brooks Koepka (T16/-3) cards a bogey and double bogey on the back nine for a third-round 71; best finish on TOUR this season: T9/Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches; seeks 10th TOUR victory in his 191st start
- 123 hole outs have occurred through 54 holes at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook, the most hole outs on any course on TOUR this season; most hole outs at Copperhead Course in 72-holes since 2003: 139/2024
Aon Swing 5 and Aon Next 10
- The Valspar Championship is the second of a four-tournament stretch for players to earn FedExCup points towards the Aon Swing 5 with entry into the next Signature Event at the RBC Heritage
- The top five players, not otherwise exempt, who earn the most FedExCup points during the Puerto Rico Open, Valspar Championship, Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open will qualify for the RBC Heritage
