Weekly Recap: Schwartzel Wins Ho-Hum Valspar Championship

Bill Haas, Graham DeLaet, Ryan Moore, Charl Schwartzel and others on the leaderboard Sunday at the Valspar Championship all seem like nice enough fellows. It's just that, well, how can we say this gently? They really don't move the needle.

Even though the tournament is played at the difficult Copperhead course at Innisbrook with the treacherous finishing stretch known as the Snake Pit, and even though this year's version went to a playoff, there simply was no buzz, no juice. Heck, there wasn't even Johnny Miller, which might tell you all you need to know about the Valspar.

There really was only guy who could've created any real drama – and the only drama Jordan Spieth created all day came after he blocked his drive on No. 2 into the jungle, and, in the search for his ball, there was concern he'd get his white pants dirty. (He didn't.)

After some exciting finishes in recent weeks filled with superstar fields, the PGA Tour took a breather this week. There are a number of these type tournaments on the schedule every year and, unfortunately, for the Valspar, it's one of them. Hence, only one big name and no Miller. And for the more nuanced golf viewer, no Roger Maltbie, either.

This would be as good a place as any to say that watching the Valspar was like watching paint dry. (Valspar makes paint, hahaha.)

Now, back to the action …

Schwartzel won on the first playoff hole after Haas hit an errant drive leading to bogey – and that was after the American bogeyed No. 16 to give away a lead he had held all day. Schwartzel possesses one of the most elegant swings in golf, but it hasn't translated into many wins on the PGA Tour (worldwide is another story, with 11 on the European Tour). In fact, before Sunday, Schwartzel had only one PGA win – the 2011 Masters. Granted, that's a heck of an "only" win.

Sunday's development nonetheless moves the South African onto the fringe of an increasingly crowded Masters conversation, now less than a month before Arnie, Jack and Gary hit their ceremonial first shots.

But first, this week is Arnie's own tournament – the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It has a mildly superior field to Valspar, though still with many top names missing. Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott headline, while Spieth and some others are skipping Bay Hill a week before the WGC-Match Play.

And speaking of lackluster, the past two years, Matt Every Man has won the API – sheesh, in comparison that makes Haas-Schwartzel look almost like Nicklaus-Watson.

MONDAY TAKEAWAY

Charl Schwartzel

Schwartzel had won twice previously in the past four months, but both times in his native South Africa with fields weak even by European Tour standards. Still, three wins since Thanksgiving is the real deal, and Schwartzel has soared to No. 21 in the world. He shot a final-round 4-under 67, the best round of the day, and that followed another good effort, a T17 at the Cadillac last week. Schwartzel is still bidding to make the Olympic team, though to qualify from his country, and right now it's Branden Grace (No. 12) Louis Oosthuizen (No. 16). One caveat: If all are ranked in the top 15, a nation may have up to four entrants. So this may be fueling Schwartzel, or perhaps he has simply recovered his admittedly lost confidence. He's skipping Bay Hill and has never been a Match Play stalwart, but Schwartzel's game is beautifully suited for Augusta.

Bill Haas

Haas is an interesting player. He's surely not among the best 25 or so in the world, yet he has his moments. He's won at least once five of the past six years, and six career wins is a wonderful career for most golfers. Plus he was the 2011 FedEx Cup champ. With three top-10s already in 2016, Haas is playing well, so he should definitely be on your radar despite his late falter, especially on courses where the longest hitters don't have a decided advantage. Majors, however, are not his forte: He's never had a top 10.

Ryan Moore

With a solo third at Copperhead, Moore has played seven tournaments this season with four top-10s. He couldn't make a putt on Sunday, something he'll have to do at the Match Play in two weeks and at the Masters soon after. But Moore has shown he can, and last year's T12 is his best ever at Augusta. He's putting together a nice season and could be in the mix again at the Masters.

Charles Howell III

Speaking of Augusta, that's where Howell is from. But he rarely gets to play in his hometown tournament – only once since 2008, a year after his most recent win. That's unfortunate, because he's playing his best golf in years this season. With a tie for fifth on Sunday, Howell has a third top-10 to go along with a whopping nine top-25s. He plays almost as much as anyone on tour, and will get two more shots to qualify for the Masters: this week at Bay Hill and two weeks after that at the Shell Houston Open.

Steve Stricker

Stricker is another golfer trying to get into Augusta. But unlike Howell, Stricker has played the Masters nine years running. He's not in the field right now and he's been playing more this season to try to qualify. Stricker had a good shot at Innisbrook, leading at the midway point before tying for seventh. At 49, his best shot to do well is at courses that don't favor the longest hitters. Unfortunately, there aren't that many of them anymore. Still, Stricker is exceeding expectations this season, and you could do worse than having him in your lineup.

Jordan Spieth

Last year's Valspar champion, Spieth rallied nicely from an opening 76 to hang around for the weekend, using a 68-67 to climb the leaderboard before a Sunday fade to tie for 18th. He's skipping Bay Hill, but will play the Match Play and likely Houston before defending his Masters title. Spieth or McIlroy will be the betting favorite, but the American has to get better in a hurry. Of course, that's entirely possible when you're the No. 1 golfer in the world.

Ian Poulter

The Twittersphere's schadenfreude was on high alert on Sunday, when Poulter carded a second straight 75 to fall into a tie for 67th and, more importantly, fall to 67th in the world. The Match Play takes the top 64 as of Monday morning, and Poulter is among the game's elite at match play. Jim Furyk (injured) and Henrik Stenson (skipping) aren't in the field, but that still leaves Poulter one spot too low. But here's another but: No. 35-ranked Danny Lee withdrew from Valspar with a wrist injury after 10 holes on Sunday, and if he can't return for the Match Play, Poulter will get in.

Danny Lee

As of now, Lee is in the field for Bay Hill this week. But this was his second in-tournament withdrawal and fourth in his career, a very high number for only 114 tournaments. He hasn't been playing well after a breakthrough 2015, and it's only logical to wonder if he's been hurt all along. Lee wasn't in contention at Innisbrook and has been so only once all season, when he finished fourth at Phoenix. Until we learn more about his wrist injury, Lee surely is a fade.

Keegan Bradley

Bradley really has fallen on hard times – you know, for a multimillionaire golfer. He shot 67 to take the first-round Valspar lead, only to embarrassingly blow up with a 79 to miss the cut for the third straight tournament and fifth time in six outings. Even before the anchored-putting ban went into effect, Bradley hadn't won since 2012. He's close to falling out of the top 100 in the world (No. 93), and it's not out of the question to wonder if he's in danger of losing his card down the road.

Colt Knost

All good things comes to an end, gamers. And for those of you (us?) who rode Knost's cut streak, it's over. For his first 10 starts of the season, Knost provided the fantasy satisfaction of weekend play, with three top-25s for good measure. He shot 73-75 at the Valspar for his first trunk slam. And now we all have to wonder: Are the good Knost times over? We'll find out Friday at Bay Hill.