Sungjae Im holds atop 2026 Valspar Championship leaderboard as Jordan Spieth saves second round late
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Sungjae Im held onto the lead on a breezy Friday afternoon in the Valspar Championship, rallying on the back nine to edge ahead of David Lipsky in firm and fast conditions on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook.
After missing two straight cuts in his return from a wrist injury, Im shot a 2-under 69 to get to 9-under 133 — a stroke ahead of Lipsky. On Thursday morning, Im had two eagles in a 64 for a one-shot advantage over Brandt Snedeker.
“The important thing, well, the most important thing is that I can get my drives into the fairways,” the 27-year-old South Korean said through a translator. “If I do that, then I will be able to give myself good chances. There’s just a lot of danger out there on the course.”
On Friday, Im had three bogeys and two birdies in a front-nine 37, then birdied the par-5 11th and par-4 12th. He broke a tie for the lead with a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.
“I want to really focus and be patient because I have a chance this weekend,” Im said. “This weekend, I think the winds are going to blow and the greens are going to get more firm.”
Im has two PGA Tour victories, the 2020 Honda Classic and 2021 Shriners Children’s Open.
Lipsky had a 65, playing in the first group of the day off the first tee. Winless on PGA Tour, he birdied the first two holes and four of the the first six, added two more on 10 and 11 and parred the final seven.
