PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Sungjae Im is closing in on a wire-to-wire victory at the Valspar Championship, maintaining a two-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round despite a slow start since returning from his wrist injury.
Im fired a 2-under 69 at Innisbrook’s Copperhead course to reach 11-under 202, capping his round with a sweeping 13-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that extended his advantage.
“I wasn’t able to practice for two months,” Im said. “So I think a lot of my shots that I didn’t like from last year I was able to correct once I started practicing again, and it’s just been consistently getting better.”
The 27-year-old South Korean has company on the leaderboard. U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker, playing on a sponsor exemption, and David Lipsky are tied for second at 9 under. Snedeker, 45, posted a 4-under 67 while Lipsky shot 70.
After missing two straight cuts in his return, Im has led after each round on the firm, fast Copperhead layout, opening with rounds of 64-69. He played the front nine in 3 under Saturday before stumbling with back-to-back bogeys on 12 and 13. His clutch birdie at 18 restored some breathing room.
“I was really happy that my play was good on the finishing stretch, 16 through 18,” Im said. “And I’m really thrilled about the birdie on the final hole, and to have a two-shot lead going into tomorrow.”
Im, a two-time PGA Tour winner (2020 Honda Classic, 2021 Shriners Children’s Open), acknowledged the pressure of being in contention again.
“It’s been awhile since I’ve been in the lead like this,” he said. “I’m sure I will be nervous, but the best I can do is just to play my own game.”
Snedeker, winless since 2018 with just two top-10s in the past year, has found something with a new mallet putter. His short game has been exceptional all week.
“I finished strong, made some good swings coming down the stretch,” Snedeker said. “Rolling the ball so good, chipping the ball so good, if I can kind of get my long game under control a little bit we’re going to have a good chance tomorrow.”
Lipsky, still seeking his first PGA Tour victory, battled through an inconsistent round featuring five birdies against four bogeys.
“It was up-and-down,” Lipsky said. “I didn’t hit as many fairways as I wanted to, nor greens. But overall the short game and the putter really saved me and kept me in it.”
Matt Fitzpatrick, coming off a runner-up finish at last week’s Players Championship, sits three shots back at 8 under alongside Marco Penge after both posted 68s.
Brooks Koepka is well off the pace, tied for 16th at 3 under following a third-round 71.
