2026 Valspar Championship Thursday tee times: Round 1 groupings
The 2026 valspar championship begins Thursday, March 19, with Round 1 on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla. Matt Fitzpatrick, listed among the favorites, will tee off at 1: 03 p. m. ET alongside Sam Ryder and Justin Thomas as the tournament opens. Television and early streaming windows are set for early morning and afternoon coverage, with featured play in the afternoon and early streaming starting at 7: 30 a. m. ET.
Valspar Championship Thursday tee times and key groups
Thursday’s Round 1 grouping sheet spreads players across early morning and afternoon waves; the schedule places several top names in highlighted pairings. Notable morning groups begin before 8: 00 a. m. ET and include established Tour players across the early windows. The marquee 1: 03 p. m. ET group features Matt Fitzpatrick with Sam Ryder and Justin Thomas. Other headline groupings include Jacob Bridgeman with Wyndham Clark and Jordan Spieth at 1: 14 p. m. ET, and a strong early-afternoon pairing of Max Homa, Kevin Streelman and Danny Walker at 1: 36 p. m. ET. The slate continues through mid-afternoon with competitive groups and finishes its scheduled Round 1 groupings in the afternoon windows.
Matt Fitzpatrick’s form and momentum
Fitzpatrick arrives at the valspar championship carrying a recent string of form described in the event notes: his major breakthrough came with the 2022 U. S. Open title, and his bounce-back included a victory at last fall’s DP World Tour Championship. This season he has not missed a cut and holds two top-10s in six starts. His closest recent near-miss came at the Players Championship, where a bogey on the final hole left him one shot behind Cameron Young; that performance is cited as momentum heading into the valspar championship. The Copperhead layout and the tournament’s grouping choices put Fitzpatrick in a featured early-afternoon slot that tournament planners identified as a focal point for Round 1.
What to watch next and immediate expectations
As play begins Thursday, attention will stay on the featured afternoon groups and how form from the Players Championship carries over under Copperhead’s test. Early streaming coverage begins at 7: 30 a. m. ET and featured windows run through the afternoon, with prominent groups teed in the 1: 00–2: 30 p. m. ET band. Officials and player lists show full Round 1 groupings across the morning and afternoon cards; follow-through scoring and leaderboard movement will shape who emerges as an early contender at the valspar championship. Expect updates on scoring and group movement later in the day as the tournament progresses and leaders take shape on the Copperhead Course (times ET).
Timestamp: March 19, 2026 — times referenced are Eastern Time (ET).
