VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

March 21, 2026

Brandt Snedeker

Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead)

Quick Quotes

Q. Bogey-free, 67, 9-under for the tournament. Great shot start. How would you describe that wound round today?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: Even though it looked bogey-free, it was definitely up and down. There was some struggles in the middle of the round that I was able to survive, which was nice. I finished strong, made some good swings coming down the stretch. 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.

Q. A lot of scrambling. What does it feel like to have a round like that? Is it uncomfortable. Does it make you feel more confident?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: I think it's a lot of fun. I think it's great to know that things don't have to be perfect and you can still shoot a number. I think that's the number one thing about playing golf is you're never going to play perfect, so can you go shoot a number when things aren't perfect. So looking forward to the chance tomorrow to go out there and try to play a little bit cleaner and let my short game save me when it needs to.

Q. You mentioned fun. How much fun is it for you to be back in contention?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: It's been a lot of fun. I had a great pairing today with Gary, he's a buddy of mine, you know and we were walking down 14 together and looked at each other, like it's fun playing these late Saturday rounds together. So I'm going to do that tomorrow, I'm going to enjoy my late Sunday round tomorrow and go have some fun.

Q. Depending upon what happens here with these last couple of guys, there's a chance you could be in the final group tomorrow. Is it really important for you to be in that final group?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: Absolutely. Yeah, I think the -- being out last on the golf course helps, it really does. A, you can see what's going on in your group with the guy that's probably going to be leading or close to it. And B, it gives you opportunity to make adjustments if you need to, based on how the round is going. So being in the last group is always a positive, it means you've done three rounds really well, and I always use that as a good way to kind of go and kind of set your round up for success, for sure.

Q. You missed four straight cuts coming into this year, so did you do anything different going into this tournament?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: No, I've been playing really well. Tee to green, actually that's probably the worst I've hit it in the last month, but my putting had been off. So I switched putters about two weeks ago and it really kind of kick started my game. Really started putting the ball really, really well this week and giving myself chances, hitting my lines. And when you putt well, the rest of the game gets really easy. So it's been a lot of fun to play stress-free golf, because I know if I get on the green somewhere I got a chance of making a putt, which is a lot of fun.

Q. When putter did you switch from?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: I had the same putter since I've been on tour, so for 23 years I used an old Odyssey Rossie II, and then I switched to the Spider, TaylorMade Spider mallet, the one everybody seems to be going to, it has been winning out here. And I tested it at home and it worked really well, felt like it made my stroke a little bit better, and sure enough kind of came to fruition this week.

Q. Did you have any goals coming into this year?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: Not really, I always make goals at the beginning of the year to kind of, you know, stair step it along the way, obviously. But my big goal is trying to get more in contention on Sundays. Give myself -- obviously I want to win again. I have nine tour wins, I want to get to 10, I think that would be pretty cool. But having these conditions, giving yourself a chance on Sunday is all you can do. If I go to the 10th tee tomorrow with a chance to win the golf tournament that's all you work for. Then, from there, go play and figure out what you can do. So just looking forward to trying to get to that 10th tee tomorrow with a chance to win.

Q. What would it mean to win again?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: It would be really special. I love what I do. I love being out here. 45-year-old guy trying to play with these young guys is tough. But it's a lot of fun. I love to show myself, my kids, my family I can still do it.

Q. We know about the surgery and so forth. I'm interested in how you feel physically. Are you tired?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: No, I feel really good. My health is probably the best it's been in 10 years out here. I feel really good. My energy level's really high.

Q. So, no fatigue down the stretch?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: No, no, nothing at all, man. I'm in good shape. I probably worked out harder than I have in years. So I'm able to now. Body feels great, which kind of makes everything else a lot easier.

Q. When you've had the same putter for 20 whatever years, how difficult is it to put it aside in the garage?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: Yeah, well it's not in the garage, it's in my locker. It's going to travel with me for quite some time. Yeah, it's tough. The first week in Puerto Rico I wasn't too concerned with how it went because I knew it was going to be different. The only thing I really care about when I'm putting is inside six feet. If I make my putts inside six feet, then I feel like everything else will take care of itself. So, Puerto Rico, I did that, but I didn't make anything outside six feet. So I kind of gave it some time, and the last couple weeks it's been really good at home, and coming here I knew these greens pretty well. So I gave myself kind of some practice early in the week and felt really good with it so I just said we're going to keep giving it a go and sure enough it's kind of paid off.

Q. What was it that made you tell yourself, okay, it's time to switch?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: Yeah, I just did a bunch of data. When I got it, I did a bunch of data, so got on a bunch of putting monitors and saw how the ball rolled, what it did to my stroke, and everything was better. So when you have actually data telling you that the stroke's better, the ball's rolling better, everything is better with this new putter, then it makes the transition easier. It's not a feel thing, it's actually kind of, yeah, your stroke's better, the ball's rolling better. And the biggest thing is getting used to the speed. Every putter rolls a little bit different, so getting used to how fast it comes off took me a couple weeks to do it, but now I feel like I'm pretty adjusted.

Q. What were your emotions like out there? Were you nervous?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: I got nervous a couple times, but that's what you do. I was surprisingly calm down the stretch, especially on 16, 17, 18, those are some tough shots.

16 tee, I was really comfortable. And 18 I was really comfortable, hit two great shots into 18. So I'm sure I'll be nervous tomorrow on the first tee. I'm sure, just like everybody else, but kind of know how to handle it, know what to do. And nobody expects me to be here, to be honest with you, at 45. Nobody expects me to win tomorrow. So I'm going to have the most fun trying to prove people wrong and prove probably myself wrong that I can still do it.

Q. Did you expect to be here?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: I kept having hope, man, I really did. I was doing so much good stuff at home that I knew I wasn't far off from how when I played my best. Kind of, for whatever reason, it wasn't clicking. When you haven't played good in years it seems like -- I've had some moments where -- I played good at Memorial last year, big tournament -- so I had some moments where I know I can still do it, it's just kind of putting four rounds together has been tough, so maybe this is the first time I can do it in a while.

Q. Do you have any memories of your first start here, almost two decades ago?

BRANDT SNEDEKER: I do. I think I played here in 2007. I can't remember if it was 2007 or 2008, but one of those first two years. I played really well here. It was late on Saturday and Sunday. I remember how tough the golf course played. Seems like a golf course I've always played well. It's been a good place for me. I don't think I've missed that many cuts here. I played some really good golf here. I played in the last group here with Tiger in 2019 on Sunday, so I've had some great memories here. Hopefully, I can kind of put it all together and give myself a chance to win tomorrow.