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Hovland Leads Valspar Championship Ahead of Masters Showdown

3/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Viktor Hovland (defending champion) leads at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.
The Valspar Championship is the first of three events leading to the Masters.
The purse totals $9.1 million, with the winner earning over $1.6 million.
The event runs March 19–22 with first-round coverage at 7:30 a.m. on the ESPN App.
Notable players include Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Ben Griffin.

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Story summary

Viktor Hovland (defending champion) leads at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.
The Valspar Championship is the first of three events leading to the Masters.
The purse totals $9.1 million, with the winner earning over $1.6 million.
The event runs March 19–22 with first-round coverage at 7:30 a.m. on the ESPN App.
Notable players include Xander Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Ben Griffin.