Seven Canadians at Valspar Championship...TEE TIMES

 PGA Tour : Valspar Championship  Tee Times Leaderboard

The Innisbrook Resort just NW of Tampa was always a popular spot for Canadians when I was growing up, beautifully situated on the Gulf Coast, and it's reknown Copperhead Course is the site for this week's Valspar Championship, the 25th edition, Viktor Hovland defends and this is the final leg of the Florida Swing.

With the big boys off again, taking their break before the Masters, there is quite a decent field this year including seven Canadians, Adam Hadwin is back off the Korn Ferry Tour as a past champion.

The others Mac Hughes 8.02 10th, Nick Taylor 8.08 1st, Corey Conners 8.13 10th, AJ Ewart 9.14 1st, Adam Hadwin 12.30 1st, Adam Svensson 12.47 10th, Taylor Pendrith 1.40 10th

Akshay Bhatia, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick are drawn together, all played well last week Koepka and Schauffelle are also in the field. 

WEATHER: An early look at the forecast is good, hot and mostly sunny, no rain, it is breezy NE around 20-25kmh

Bryan Angus

Hainan Classic in China..Cockerill returns..TEE TIMES

 DP World Tour : Hainin Classic Tee Times

The Asian Swing begins this week with the DP World Tour rank and file in the Far East at Mission Hills Golf Resort in Hainan China.

Canadian Aaron Cockerill will have been off for nearly 4 full weeks when he tees it up on Thursday, because he is in Group 18 this season instead of Group 10 he has not qualified for the South African Open or the Joburg Open and there was a week unscheduled in there as well.

His world ranking is #450, his Race to Dubai standing #119, in his last outing in Kenya he T18th. 66 69 62 69 -14 one of his better outings this season.

Group 22 12.52 1st   Aaron Cockerill, Stefano Mazzoli

Click on my TEE TIMES link above for the full list

Bryan Angus

Asian Swing begins this week on DP World Tour...

 Across four events in three countries, and with multiple rewards at play, the DP World Tour continues its global odyssey with the Asian Swing.

After the Opening and International swings, the Global Swings phase of the 2026 Race to Dubai calendar continues with stops in China, India and Türkiye.

Once again, the run of events - with the first men's Major Championship of the year Masters, sandwiched in between - promises to highlight the depth of international talent on Golf's Global Tour.

With the world coming to play, here is all you need to know about the Asian Swing.

Starting with the Hainan Classic, the DP World Tour will make the first of two visits over back-to-back months to China.

After its inaugural edition at Mission Hills last year, the tournament on the island province is the 51st visit to the country since the Tour's inception in 1972.

A week later, India will be in golf's international spotlight as the treacherous DLF G&CC - widely considered as one of the toughest tests on the schedule - plays host to the Hero Indian Open.

The Masters Tournament sits next, either side of two off weeks, with the world's best set to gather at Augusta National in an event - as with all four Majors - that does not count towards the Swing rankings, but will see players claim points for the Race to Dubai Rankings.

We then return east for the Volvo China Open at Enhance Anting GC, before the Turkish Airlines Open moves to National GC at Regnum Carya - one of six confirmed first-time venues this season - as it serves as a bridge ahead of the European Swing.

Across the seven-week span, the DP World Tour's country count will move into double figures as Türkiye is set to be the 11th of the campaign.

What's at play?

As with all Global Swings since the DP World Tour schedule was revamped ahead of the 2024 season, an overall swing champion will be determined based on their performances in the four counting tournaments across China, India and Türkiye.

DP World Tour members will compete for a total prize fund of US$10,600,000 million.

The player who finishes top of the mini order of merit standings will earn a place in all events in Phase Two of the DP World Tour season, the Back 9, and a $200,000 bonus.

Which players are set to feature?

Major champion and Ryder Cup winner Francesco Molinari is confirmed to play at both the Hainan Classic and the Hero Indian Open over the opening two weeks of the Swing.

Wenyi Ding - a graduate of the Global Amateur Pathway in 2024 - will hope to star in front of home crowds in China along with teenage sensation, who claimed more wins than Scottie Scheffler last year.

Molinari will be joined in India by South African stars Casey Jarvis and Jayden Schaper among a host of DP World Tour regulars, with the South African pair riding high on the Race to Dubai after claiming back-to-back DP World Tour titles so far this season.

Among others teeing it up in the world's most populous nation are Akshay Bhatia, who won his third PGA TOUR title earlier this month at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, winner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India's (PGTI) order of merit last year, will be among the local stars that week as will two-time DP World Tour winner Shubhankar Sharma.

Martin Couvra, one of golf's rising stars, having won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award last year is set to defend in Türkiye.

Who won the Asian Swing last year?

Japan's Keita Nakajima recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Porsche Singapore Classic and Hero Indian Open last year on his way to scooping a $200,000 bonus and book his place at the US PGA Championship and the Back 9 events.

What follows next?

After the Asian Swing, the DP World Tour schedule will head straight into the European Swing.

Starting with the inaugural Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship and ending with the BMW International Open, there will be six counting events across as many countries alongside two Majors.

The European Swing will be followed by the Closing Swing before the Back 9 leads into the DP World Tour Play-Offs.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Yellamaraju T5, Young edges Fitzpatrick to win Players....Final results/ Prize money

   PGA Tour : Players Championship  Leaderboard  Results

Players were falling prey to TPC Sawgrass's many pitfalls, a few were charging, and Cameron Young was doing a good job of just "hanging in there"

David Cannon

After all was said and done, Aberg's magical 63 turned to a Sunday 76, his playing partner Michael Thorbjornsen was worse after a solid 67 a Sunday 77 simply opened the door for the rest of the field to walk through.

Young who's beard makes him look 40, had the best win of his 28 year old career after turning a wedge to 10' for birdie at 17, then a booming 375 yard drive at 18 into a flip wedge par 4 at 18 which was good enough to survive Matt Fitzpatrick's missed 8 footer which would have forced a playoff.  His take is $4,500,000

It was an Agatha Christie who dunnit' Sunday with Fitzy looking most likely 2nd 69, $2,725,000 his Ryder Cup partner "Bob" MacIntyre posting the best round of the day 65 4th, $1,225,000 and Xander Schauffele 3rd with a74 69 $1,725,000  weekend.

Canadians

Sudarshan Yellamaraju rose his stock expedentially with the weeknd of his rookie PGA career best T5 73 72 66 68 -9 worth $925,000

The viewing millions heard his story of arriving as a boy to Toronto from India and learning to play off You Tube with never a lesson in his life, golfing left handed with half a back swing but a superb follow through he was on TV a lot.

Most Canadians have no idea who he was, many will know this morning.

Corey Conners had a great Thursday, Friday 69, 67 to T4 but his weekend 72 74 dropped him to T13 $409,207

Nick Taylor T42 74 70 70 73 -1 $91,250

Taylor Pendrith T46 74 69 72 73 E  $72,125

Others

For the NBC ratings Scott Scheffler was a flop T22 73 73 67 71 -5, for a #1 ranked player he is an erratic driver, not sure where it's going off the tee, which has led to a very mediocre 2026.

Rory was worse T46 74 71 72 71 E he couldn't trust his putter on the lightning fast TPC Sawgrass greens this year as he tried to defend his title. He also lost the place a few times with his vaunted driver, and some loose irons.

The greens were already brown on Thursday, and despite a couple of downpours were simply treacherous, and the rough around the greens and 2nd cut off fairways was an uncut 5" thick which caused nothing but trouble all week.

Most of the big boys are on holiday now, the rank and file will head up to Innisbrook for the Valspar Championship. then two weeks in Texas for the Houston and Valero Opens before the Masters.

The good news the MLB baseball season is just 9 days away !

Bryan Angus 

Conners T4, Aberg leads Players Championship....54 hole results, Live scoreboard/TEE TIMES

  PGA Tour : Players Championship Tee Times Leaderboard

The leaders went backwards, the field got closer, but after a marathon Saturday Ludvig Aberg has done enough 69 63 71 -13 to begin Sunday with a 3 shot lead over his Florida neighbour Michael Thorbjornsen 74 65 67 -10.

They play practice rounds together in Florida, today their will be a $4,200,0000 bet on the line.

Others in the top 4 on Saturday went backwards or stayed the same.

 Xander Schauffele 69 65 74 -8, Cameron Young 68 67 72 -9, Corey Conners 69 67 72 -8, Justin Thomas 68 68 72 -8 are all still in contention but they have a lot more company now.

Matt Fitzpatrick, Brian Harman, Viktor Hovland are all now at -8.

Canadians

Corey Conners T4 69 67 72   Took a double bogey at the par 3 3rd, but battled all day out in 37, back in 35 E 72 .... 4 birdies including a 2 at the island green 17th, 2 bogey's and the double.

He will play at 1.10pm with Justin Thomas.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju T19 73 72 66 -5  He had lots of TV time with one of the best rounds of his career, only one player was lower.  He plays at  12.05 with JJ Spaun

Nick Taylor  T37 74 70 70 -2   Plays at  10.30 with Max McGreevy

Taylor Pendrith  T43  74 68 72 -1  Plays with 9.50 with Adam Scott

Weather:  Cloudy, misty early this morning, expecting a humid high 27*c with winds 10-20mph and an 80% chance of precipitation in the form of rain and TStorms later. They may not arrive until the evening according to some forecasts.

I followed Rory and Scheffler early yesterday.

Rory had his B game going out in 37 back in 35 E72. He had a lot of chances with the putter but missed most, he starts Sunday morning 8.35 T57 +1 with Nico Echavarria

Scheffler drove the ball poorly, left, right, into the woods, into thick rough but to his credit he played some remarkable recovery shots and made a lot of putts for a scrambling 67.

He starts Sunday T26 +4 at 1135 with Maverick McNeely.

I expect both to finish with a flourish today.

You can watch all day on TSN4 here in Canada, NBC doesn't begin coverage until 1pm.

Bryan Angus

Ludvig Aberg leads, Corey Conners T4...Saturday at Players Championship..TEE TIMES, Leaderboard

    PGA Tour : Players Championship Tee Times Leaderboard

Swedish super star Ludvig Aberg had his A game in full force on Friday afternoon on a very gettable TPC Sawgrass.

Ludvig Aberg of Sweden acknowledges applause from the gallery after sinking his putt on the 11th green during the second round of The Players Championship golf tournament Friday, March 13, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Consider this he began birdie eagle birdie birdie -5 through 4 holes then  tied the course record with another eagle on the th for 29.

He went on to post 3 more birdies with a lone dropped shot at the 15th, for 34, -9 63  and a tournament lead at -12.

2nd  Xander Schauffele hit all his fairways -7 65 for a -10 total.

3rd  Cameron Young 68 67 -9

T4  Corey Conners 69 67 -8   Corey was -5 through 6 holes featuring his reknown ball striking all day, and he was unlucky not to be even lower.

T4  Justin Thomas 68 68 -8  He used his 79 79 MC last week at Bay Hill as a warm up, as he returns from back surgery.

Other Canadians

Taylor Pendrith T35 74 69 -1

Nick Taylor T42  74 70 E

Sudarshan Yellamaraju  T51 73 72 +1  He fought back with birdies on 3 of his last 5 holes

Mac Hughes MC 74 77 +7 has not had his best stuff yet so far this year

AJ Ewart MC  78 75 +9  had no chance after the opening 78.

STARS : What many are talking about, the game's two biggest stars Rory McIlroy T51 74 71 +1 and Scott Scheffler T51  72 73 +1 with 4 bogey's just 3 birdies, both barely made the cut which finally fell at +2.

They are both off early before National NBC (2pm) TV coverage  at 9.55 Rory and 9.25 Scheffler, available here on TSN4.

WEATHER: Saturday: Ideal scoring,  partly cloudy, 72*f , dry only a 10% chance of rain, light wind 10-16mph.

Sunday: expect a return of higher humidity, more unsettled 75*f , 60% chance of showers and TStorms in the afternoon, windier 14-20mph with gusts over 30mph

OPINION :  Saturday should provide ideal scoring conditions, with the Sunday afternoon bad weather expected,  they may send the guys out early of split tees.

Bryan Angus

 

Corey Conners T4 after 36 holes..Players Championship....Live scoreboard

   PGA Tour : Players Championship Tee Times Leaderboard

Corey Conners came out on fire this morning making birdies on 5 of his first 6 holes, and adding an eagle 3 at the the 9th, out in 30, straight up the leaderboard in the lead at -9.

He went bogey birdie bogey on his back nine, steadied the ship with 3 straight pars, then a birdie at the par 5 16th, and a tap in par at the island green at 17. After a great drive on 18 his approach was right at the pin, but came up 2 yards short in the thick rough. 

He nearly holed the chip for birdie 3, and on these lightning fast greens he rolled 9 feet past and missed coming back for a bogey 5, 30 37 -5 67 T3 -8.

The clubhouse leader is Xander Schauffele 65 -10 and Cameron Young 67 is at -9.

However TPC Sawgrass is playing a shot easier this morning and that may end up being 2 shots easier.

I expected the benign conditions would suit the late wave, Ludvig Aberg was -5 through 5 holes, he went on to post the round of the day -9 63 to take the lead at -12

Canadians

The cut is projected at +2 which is important for the other 5 Canadians..

Nick Taylor T45  70 74   E

Taylor Pendrith T35  74  69 -1 

Sudarshan Yellamaraju T51  73 72   +1

Mac Hughes T86  74, 77   +7 MC

AJ Ewart T116  78 75 +9   MC

Rory without his A game has made the cut T51 74 71 +1, Scott Scheffler same story, T51 72 73  +1

Bryan Angus