Memories of the 2019 Valspar at Innisbrook Won by Defending Champion Paul Casey!

Memories of the 2019 Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Won by Defending Champion Paul Casey! It’s been a long road back for Paul Casey and a colorful one at that! In the year of 2009 Paul Casey won for the first time on the US PGA TOUR and reached his highest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR)—third! With 13 European Tour wins from 2001 to 2014 nine came before the 2009 Shell Houston Open victory and five afterwards. Casey lost twice in playoffs in 2015 on the PGA TOUR and remained dormant until the rejuvenated breakthrough win at the 2018 Valspar Championship. Now his third PGA TOUR victory and OWGR No. 11! A courageous one at that closing with a Sunday 1-over par 72 to beat Louis Oosthuizen (69) and Jason Kokrak (71) by one stroke. Oosthuizen was in the clubhouse at 7-under par. Kokrak finished with a bogey after driving so wide right he was right of the bunkers. With a wedge in his hand he failed to reach the green and then failed to get it up-and-down. Casey had a 3-putt bogeyed on the 17^th and looked to be headed to another on the 18^th when he drove into a deep bunker. But he responded with a gallant shot reaching the green and 2-putting for a par and victory! The Copperhead Course at the Salamander Innisbrook Resort is a great test of golf and with firm and fast conditions and some wind played quite difficult the entire week. Another testament to Casey’s brilliance this week was World No. 1 Dustin Johnson’s final round 74 while paired with Casey. So good to be back at the Valspar Championship for the first time since the 2008 PODS Championship won by Sean O’Hair. But I have been to the Salamander Innisbrook Resort several times in between to tee it up on the Copperhead Course. In 2018 I played all four courses! America’s Best Golf Resort: Innisbrook a Salamander Resort near Tampa, FL! Note the 36 on the back nine of the Copperhead Course! Who’s behind the awesome Salamander Innisbrook Resort and hostess to the Valspar Championship? Lady Trump Outshines Donald in FLA. Ms. Sheila Johnson is! Don’t disregard Mr. Paul Casey at the season’s first Major Championship—The Masters in two weeks’ time. His last four finishes there in the last four years, chronologically—T6—T4—6^th—T15. An absolutely spectacular day for Round 3 of the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort! Paul Casey (68), DJ (67), Jason Kokrak (66), & Jim Furyk (68) made moos on Chick-fil-A's Mooving Saturday! Thirteen players within 5 strokes of leader Paul Casey who is at minus-9! Tough but fair championship course is Copperhead! Likely a Sunday Shootout & maybe a Playoff too! I was last here in 2008 on my original Florida Swing. My oh my has this tournament grown into something truly special! Had the feel of a Players Saturday today! Hats off to Sheila Johnson, Copperhead Charities, & the tournament staff & volunteers!   (Andy Reistetter; 3/23/19; Facebook Post with 30 Pics)       Out of the snow in Arizona... into the Florida sunshine... one of the best in the golf broadcasting business... good to see Jane Crafter out there with the Jon Rahm/Rory Sabbatini pairing this afternoon at the Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort!   (Andy Reistetter; 3/23/19; Facebook Post with 30 Pics)