Sam Burns, after a breathless play-off, retains his crown of the Valspar Championship gleaned in 2021. He wins against Davis Riley thanks to a putt of ten meters on the second sudden death hole. Paul Barjon finishes 57th this week in Florida.

Sam Burns winner of the Valspar Championship 2022 – via Twitter @PGATOUR

Sam Burns winner of the Valspar Championship 2022 – via Twitter @PGATOUR

After an extended week of PLAYERS due to bad weather, the PGA Tour players had to move quickly to the next tournament: the Valspar Championship. It is the Innisbrook Resort in Copperhead, par 71 of 7340 yards which hosts the event each year and which saw Sam Burns lift the cup last year in 2021.

Leader at the start of the last lap with two strokes ahead of his closest pursuers, Davis Riley hung on this Sunday to stay in the race for victory: he plays 72 (+1). Sam Burns, defending champion signs a card of 69 (-2), which allows him to hang a play-off. Justin Thomas, fails at the gates of sudden death, at a small blow. The former world number 1 signs a last card of 70 (-1), insufficient to play for victory.

The Burns / Riley duel was first played on hole 18. The two men did not decide with two pars, and headed for the par 4 of hole 16. Sam Burns did not let slip his luck with a putt of more than ten meters, returned for the victory. He thus retains his title, a feat that only Paul Casey had achieved in 2018 and 2019.

This victory at the Valspar Championship allows him to join the world top 10, his best ranking ever.

Paul Barjon, the only Frenchman entered in the event, finished in 57th place in the tournament with cards of 68-71-70-72.

To find the complete leaderboard of the Valspar Championship: click here.

By Baptiste Laurensou.