PALM HARBOR, FL. – Doug Ghim, one of the few Chicago area players left on the PGA Tour, has yet to win in his nine pro seasons, but he seemed to have a chance midway through the Valspar Championship at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort.
Ghim, from Arlington Heights with stints at Buffalo Grove High School and the University of Texas, was two shots behind leader Sungjae Im, of South Korea, midway through the tournament after shooting rounds of 68 and 67.
“Two straight days in the 60s out here is always good,’’ said Ghim, who had a chip-in for eagle to highlight Friday’s round. “Mentally it’s probably the hardest one that we play all year.’’
Though he opened Saturday’s Round 3 with a birdie, the mental side apparently got to Ghim in a ragged front nine when he made a double bogey at No. 3 and bogeys at Nos. 6 and 7. Playing in the next-to-the-last twosome to tee off, Ghim dropped down to a tie for 17th after a 75 in Saturday’s third round, but he didn’t give up with Sunday’s final round still to be played.
“Everyone’s going to struggle,’’ he said. “Then there’s going to be guys that get on runs and hopefully we are one of those guys.’’
Ghim, 29, needs a good tournament. He made the cut in four of his first six this year, but his best finish was only a tie for 26th in Puerto Rico a week ago. Now he’s still chasing Im, who hit the 54-holes stop at 11-under-par 202.
Tied for second are two players with Illinois connections – sort of. Brandt Snedeker and David Lipsky are at 9-under 204. Snedeker, who posted a 67 in the third round, will be the U.S. captain when the Presidents Cup at Medinah climaxes the Chicago golf season in September.
Lipsky, a Northwestern alum, started the day one shot behind Im – his playing partner on Saturday. At 37 Lipsky’s no kid anymore. He won two college tournaments for NU and was an All-American for the Wildcats in 2011. Though he has four wins as a professional, none came on the PGA Tour. Still, the 15-season pro has $6.5 million in winnings on the circuit with 81 cuts made in 144 starts.
Adrien Dumont de Chassart, a more recent star at Illinois, fired a 67 on Saturday to move into a tie for sixth. The 26-year old Belgium product has made five cuts in seven starts and finished in the top 30 four times.
Sunday’s round completes the four-tournament Florida Swing – a popular segment of events every year on the PGA Tour. The circuit then shifts to Texas for the Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open. After those two weeks comes the April 9-12 Masters – the first of the four major championships in 2026.
