Shane Lowry finishes tied-12th at Valspar Championship as Masters draws closer

Shane Lowry continued his strong start to the season with a tied-12th finish in the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook resort’s Copperhead course in Florida, where the Offalyman - in his final strokeplay event ahead of next month’s Masters - closed out with a 68 for a total of 11-under-par 273.

Lifting the trophy for the second year in succession was Sam Burns who sank a 33-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Davis Riley.

With all four rounds in the 60s – 69-68-68-68 – Lowry again showed that his game is in fine shape heading into this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas, starting on Wednesday, before he takes a week off and then heading into the Masters at Augusta National.

Hot scoring was the order of the day again in the final round of the Valspar and Lowry got off to a flying start with birdies at the first, fifth and sixth before suffering his only bogey at the Par 3 eighth where he missed the green with his tee shot. Lowry’s only birdie on the homeward run came at the 14th.

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Meanwhile, Burns is projected to move into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking following his third career victory, which came after a dramatic finish on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook Resort.

Overnight leader Riley triple-bogeyed the fifth hole – the only triple on a Par 5 by anyone in the field all week. Meanwhile, Burns went three under through his first 12 holes to take the lead.

Burns held a two-shot lead before he bogeyed the Par 3 17th – needing a lengthy putt to avoid double. Playing in the group behind, Riley hit the closest shot of the day and converted the birdie to tie Burns at 17 under.

Burns’ 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole slid just left of the cup. A few minutes later, Riley’s 15-foot attempt to claim his first career PGA Tour title missed just right.

The 2014 US Junior Ryder Cup teammates returned to the 18th for the first hole of sudden death. Riley salvaged par from a greenside bunker while Burns again missed a birdie attempt left.

The playoff moved to the 16th hole, where Burns was on the green but just farther away than Riley, whose approach bounced into the rough. Burns’ birdie putt circled the cup and dropped and Riley was unable to sink his chip shot to force another hole.

Burns was tied for the best in the field in going five under par for the week on the 16th, 17th and 18th, dubbed the Snake Pit. His putter repeatedly got him out of trouble, including a five footer for par on the first playoff hole.

“It’s just hitting me,” Burns told NBC shortly after the dramatic winning putt. “It’s crazy, Davis played well today, especially the way he finished. Hats off to him, he played great. Just tried to stay steady today. I’m so happy.”

Burns earned $1.4 million with the victory and joined Patrick Cantlay as the only players with three wins on tour since the 2021 Valspar.

Burns said he visited with his coach Brad Pullin after shooting a 76 in the final round of The Players Championship to fall out of contention with a tie for 26th.

“I said, ‘Hey man, I just need some help,’” Burns said. “A huge thanks to you Brad, I couldn’t do it without you. Just a lot of hard work.”

Riley, a fellow 25-year-old who entered the week ranked 399th in the world, would have vaulted up almost 300 spots with a victory. Regardless, the two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner secured his best PGA Tour finish to date.

“I got punched in the mouth pretty early,” Riley said of the triple. “Clawed back. I knew if I just kept staying in it I’d have a chance to win. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have my best stuff today.”

Playing with Burns, Justin Thomas was one shot back when the pair reached the 18th hole. Thomas found a bunker with his drive and was forced to lay up, all but taking him out of contention.

Thomas was able to salvage par and tied for third at 16 under with Matthew NeSmith, who also posted his best finish on tour in his 72nd career start.

England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick and American Brian Harman tied for fifth at 14 under.

The low round of the day was Brooks Koepka’s six under 65. It was two shots better than anyone else in the field and vaulted the four-time major winner 33 spots into a tie for 12th at 11 under.

Second-ranked Collin Morikawa struggled to a two over 73 on Sunday to tie for 66th, while third-ranked Viktor Hovland finished in a tie for 33rd.

Final scores from the Valspar Championship (USA unless stated, Par 71)

267 Sam Burns 64 67 67 69 (won at the second extra play-off hole), Davis Riley 65 68 62 72

268 Matthew NeSmith 67 61 69 71, Justin Thomas 66 66 66 70

270 Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng) 67 68 67 68, Brian Harman 67 67 68 68

272 Adam Hadwin (Can) 64 66 70 72, Kevin Streelman 67 69 68 68, Stewart Cink 67 68 69 68, Robert Streb 68 69 65 70, Sahith Theegala 67 71 67 67

273 Alexander Noren (Swe) 68 70 65 70, Brooks Koepka 67 70 71 65, Shane Lowry (Irl) 69 68 68 68, Xander Schauffele 67 67 68 71

274 Luke Donald (Eng) 68 71 67 68, Scott Stallings 65 66 74 69, Brian Stuard 68 69 69 68, Matt Kuchar 67 72 66 69, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 67 68 68 71

275 Brandon Hagy 70 67 70 68, Richy Werenski 65 70 72 68, Gary Woodland 67 68 71 69, Tyrrell Hatton (Eng) 68 68 70 69

276 Tyler Duncan 69 69 65 73, Austin Smotherman 68 71 70 67

277 Troy Merritt 68 67 67 75, J. J. Spaun 67 71 69 70, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven) 64 71 72 70, Brice Garnett 67 71 68 71, Nate Lashley 71 68 67 71, Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chi) 69 70 68 70

278 Kramer Hickok 66 71 70 71, Viktor Hovland (Nor) 69 70 68 71, Kevin Kisner 70 66 73 69, Patton Kizzire 69 67 70 72, Brandon Wu 72 65 69 72, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 69 70 66 73

279 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 69 68 71 71, Dustin Johnson 67 71 72 69, Chez Reavie 67 72 69 71, Doc Redman 66 72 71 70, Seung-Yul Noh (Kor) 70 67 73 69, Joel Dahmen 68 69 70 72, Harry Higgs 70 68 68 73, Adam Svensson (Can) 71 68 67 73, Curtis Thompson 70 69 72 68

280 Joseph Bramlett 69 67 71 73, Danny Lee (Nzl) 65 74 68 73, Denny McCarthy 69 70 70 71, Chengtsung Pan (Tai) 71 66 69 74, Bill Haas 71 66 71 72, Greyson Sigg 67 72 67 74, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 69 66 74 71, Webb Simpson 67 67 76 70, Max McGreevy 70 69 70 71

281 Russell Knox (Sco) 71 68 67 75, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 70 69 70 72, Michael Thompson 72 66 74 69, Harold Varner III 72 67 70 72, Paul Barjon (Fra) 68 71 70 72

282 Wesley Bryan 68 71 70 73, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 67 68 74 73, Cameron Tringale 68 71 70 73, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa) 70 69 73 70

283 Ryan Brehm 71 68 75 69, John Huh 71 67 72 73

285 Collin Morikawa 68 70 74 73, David Lipsky 64 71 74 76

286 Pat Perez 67 70 75 74, Nick Taylor (Can) 69 70 68 79

287 Blake Kennedy 67 72 72 76