2023 Valspar Championship leaderboard: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas in the mix entering Moving Day
CBSN
Adam Schenk will look to fend off some of the biggest names in the sport over the next 36 holes
PGA Tour veteran Adam Schenk heads into the weekend at the 2023 Valspar Championship with the solo lead at 7 under. After commanding a share of the first-round lead, the former Purdue Boilermakers golfer continued to push ahead early Friday morning with a 2-under 69. While his alma mater may be a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Schenk will play the role of an underdog Cinderella over the next 36 holes with Tommy Fleetwood (-5), Jordan Spieth (-5) and Justin Thomas (-3) all nipping at his heels.
Sam Burns is also on the outskirts of contention at even par. He looks to become the first player since Steve Stricker to successfully win a tournament three years in a row; he arrived as the two-time defending champion at Innisbrook. After his previous driver was ruled nonconforming earlier this season, he has finally found a comfortable replacement and it has shown at the Copperhead Course.
Stricker is not the only former Valspar Championship winner who may factor over the weekend as Spieth reigned supreme eight years ago in the Tampa area. Having been in contention at the WM Phoenix Open and Arnold Palmer Invitational, Spieth will have eyes on positioning himself for the final nine come Sunday.
