The inaugural Valspar Championship was played in 2014. The tournament succeeded the Tampa Bay Championship Presented by Everbank, which in turn replaced the Transitions Championship.
The origins of the tournament are in an alternate event to the 2000 President’s Cup, when it was known as The Tampa Bay Classic. In 2001, it was supposed to be the alternate event to the WGC-American Express Championship, but was cancelled because of the terrorist attacks on September 11. It served as the alternate event in 2002.
Chrysler became the sponsor in 2003, and the event had its own slot as the last full-field event before the Tour Championship. Renamed the Chrysler Championship, the tournament held that spot until 2006.
In 2007, the tournament found a new slot in the schedule, and a new sponsor: PODS. Originally, PODS had a six year sponsorship agreement, but backed out on an option after 2008. Transitions Optical, another Florida corporation, became the sponsor in 2009.
The players with the most wins in the event are Retief Goosen (2003 and 2009), and K.J. Choi (2002 and 2006).
Retief Goosen is also the tournament’s leading money winner, with over $2,000,000 in earnings at the event.
The tournament record was set by Vijay Singh in 2004 with a −18 winning total of 266.
Valspar is a manufacturer of paint and coatings based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company is more than 200 years old, having its origins in a paint store that opened in Boston, Massachusetts in 1806. After changing hands several times, it was bought by Augustine Stimson. Later, it merged with a varnish manufacturer named Valentine and Company. Stimson and Valentine relocated to New York in 1970, and acquired the Minnesota Linseed Paint Company. Valspar was a revolutionary clear finish developed by L. Valentine Pulsifer. It was the company’s main product for decades, and was deployed on Robert Peary’s arctic expeditions and Charles Lindberg’s 1927 flight. Because of this association, the company was reformed in 932 as the Valspar Corporation.
Given all this, the logo is pretty clever, isn’t it.
A complete list of Valspar Championship winners follows
| Date | Winner | Score | To par | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valspar Championship | ||||
| 2024 | Peter Malnati | 272 | -12 | 2 shots |
| 2023 | Taylor Moore | 274 | -10 | 1 shot |
| 2022 | Sam Burns | 267 | -17 | Playoff |
| 2021 | Sam Burns | 267 | -17 | 3 strokes |
| 2020 | Cancelled Due to Covid | |||
| 2019 | Paul Casey (2) | 276 | −8 | 1 stroke |
| 2018 | Paul Casey | 274 | −10 | 1 stroke |
| 2017 | Adam Hadwin | 270 | −14 | 1 stroke |
| 2016 | Charl Schwartzel | 277 | −7 | Playoff |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | 274 | −10 | Playoff |
| 2014 | John Senden | 277 | −7 | 1 stroke |
| Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank | ||||
| 2013 | Kevin Streelman | 274 | −10 | 2 strokes |
| Transitions Championship | ||||
| 2012 | Luke Donald | 271 | −13 | Playoff |
| 2011 | Gary Woodland | 269 | −15 | 1 stroke |
| 2010 | Jim Furyk | 271 | −13 | 1 stroke |
| 2009 | Retief Goosen (2) | 276 | −8 | 1 stroke |
| PODS Championship | ||||
| 2008 | Sean O’Hair | 280 | −4 | 2 strokes |
| 2007 | Mark Calcavecchia | 274 | −10 | 1 stroke |
| Chrysler Championship | ||||
| Oct 2006 | K. J. Choi (2) | 271 | −13 | 4 strokes |
| Oct 2005 | Carl Pettersson | 275 | −9 | 1 stroke |
| Oct 2004 | Vijay Singh | 266 | −18 | 5 strokes |
| Nov 2003 | Retief Goosen | 272 | −12 | 3 strokes |
| Tampa Bay Classic presented by Buick | ||||
| Sep 2002 | K. J. Choi | 267 | −17 | 7 strokes |
| Tampa Bay Classic | ||||
| Sep 2001 | Canceled due to the September 11 attacks | |||
| Oct 2000 | John Huston | 271 | −13 | 3 strokes |
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