PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Sam Burns arrived at Innisbrook Resort, home of this week’s Valspar Championship, late Monday night and noticed his face on everything from banners to billboards to hotel keys. The defending champion’s mug is seemingly everywhere, and he even got a custom paint job on his parking spot.
“I don’t know who did it but they did a fantastic job with the eye of the Tiger there and then the state of Louisiana for the L in LSU,” he said. “Really well thought out, they did a great job.”
They may be able to re-use the same signs next year if Burns keeps burning up the Copperhead Course. The 25-year-old Louisiana native made birdie on his final two holes to shoot 7-under 64 and tie for the opening-round lead with Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas, former Valspar champion Adam Hadwin, who birdied four of his final five holes, and rookie David Lipsky.
