Horses for Courses: Valero Texas Open
6 Min Read
All-time shots from the Valero Texas Open
San Antonio is the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to hosting PGATOUR events. Hill Country takes center stage this week to host the 100th anniversary of the Texas Open, the third oldest event on TOUR.
RELATED: Expert Picks | Power Rankings
The Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio hosts for the 12th time in 13 years since assuming the duties in 2010. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Greg Norman and Sergio Garcia collaboration stretches 7,438 yards and plays to Par-72. Routing meanders thru the oaks and native grasses of Texas' Hill Country. With a couple of ball-strikers fingerprint on the blueprints it's hardly a surprise which clubs in the bag will feature this week.
As Rob Bolton wrote in his Power Rankings fairways are the exception, not the rule. Accurate second shots into the agonizingly narrow green complexes will reward those who are the most accurate. Over the last decade plus only Riviera annually provides tougher targets on approach. With forced carries on only two holes shot makers can excel in recovering if they are off the beaten path. Those errant will be forced to grind greenside for pars.
Once on the over-seeded (Poa trivialis) Bermuda, holing putts won't be the issue on these perfect surfaces. The last six winners are all T10 or better in converting their birdie chances while four of six registered inside the top 10 in SG: Putting.
Par-5 scoring also has our attention this week as five of the last six winners have hit the top 10 with three leading the way. Only Andrew Landry didn't follow the recipe but he made his bones winning the Par-3 scoring title. Of the four Par-5 holes, three annually rank in the top 50 most difficult on TOUR. With a bit of wind, water and sand, the range of numbers to write on the scorecard after playing these holes can be broad!
The field of 144 is playing for a prize pool of $8.6 million with the winner taking home $1.548 plus 500 FedExCup points. The top 65 and ties will play the final two rounds. The last man standing with the boots and the trophy will also take the final entry to the 2022 Masters if not already qualified.
Let's find some horses for courses!
Horses for Courses
| Recent Winners entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| 2021: Jordan Spieth (5/6) | 3 | 3 | +1400; +160; -140 |
| 2019: Corey Conners (3/3) | 1 | 2 | +1800; +200; -110 |
| 2018: Andrew Landry (2/4) | 1 | 1 | +30000; +2500; +1100 |
| 2017: Kevin Chappell (6/9) | 3 | 4 | +15000; +1400; +600 |
| 2016:Charley Hoffman (11/11) | 5 | 9 | +6600; +600; +275 |
| Veteran Presence entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Lucas Glover (2/3) | 1 | 2 | +8000; +900; +400 |
| Chris Kirk (5/7) | 3 | 4 | +3000; +300; +140 |
| Brandt Snedeker (4/4) | 2 | 4 | +15000; +1400; +600 |
| Si Woo Kim (4/5) | 1 | 3 | +3300; +300; +150 |
| Brian Stuard (4/7) | 1 | 1 | +8000; +900; +400 |
| Matt Kuchar (9/9) | 3 | 7 | +6600; +600; +275 |
| Danny Lee (3/7) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1200; +500 |
| Kevin Streelman (6/6) | 2 | 4 | +5000; +400; +250 |
| Graeme McDowell (4/5) | 1 | 1 | +20000; +1600; +650 |
| Jimmy Walker (8/11) | 3 | 5 | +20000; +1600; +700 |
| Zach Johnson (4/7) | 2 | 3 | +12500; +1200; +550 |
| Andrew Putnam (3/4) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1200; +550 |
| Kevin Tway (2/4) | 1 | 1 | +25000; +1600; +650 |
| Tony Finau (3/4) | 1 | 1 | +4000; +350; +170 |
| Ryan Palmer (8/11) | 4 | 6 | +6600; +600; +275 |
| Sung Kang (4/7) | 1 | 1 | +20000; +1600; +650 |
| Camilo Villegas (3/5) | 1 | 2 | +20000; +1800; +800 |
| Branden Grace (5/5) | 2 | 3 | +12500; +1000; +400 |
| Martin Laird (7/8) | 2 | 4 | +8000; +700 ; +300 |
| Brendan Steele (9/10) | 3 | 4 | +6600; +550; +250 |
| Gaining Traction entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25s | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Matt Wallace (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1600; +700 |
| Anirban Lahiri (3/3) | 1 | 1 | +10000; +1000; +400 |
| Gary Woodland (4/5) | 1 | 1 | +3000; +300; +140 |
| Patton Kizzire (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +6600; +500; +240 |
| Adam Schenk (2/3) | 1 | 1 | +10000; +1000; +450 |
| Trey Mullinax (1/3) | 1 | 1 | +25000; +1800; +700 |
| Rory McIlroy (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +800; +110; -175 |
Odds sourced on Tuesday, March 22 at 6 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm.
Recent Event Winner Stats
| Season | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Winner | Jordan Spieth | No Event | Corey Conners | Andrew Landry |
| Score | 18-under | Covid-19 | 20-under | 17-under |
| MOV | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Cut | 2-over | 1-under | 1-over | |
| Age | 27 | 27 | 30 | |
| Pretournament Odds | +1200 Favorite | +900 Field | +550 Field | |
| All Drives | T15 | T17 | 26 | |
| Accuracy | T49 | T7 | T29 | |
| GIR | T57 | 1 | 1 | |
| Ball-Striking | T43 | 1 | T20 | |
| Proximity | 28 | 2 | 7 | |
| Putting: Birdie or Better % | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| SG: Off-the-Tee | 38 | 4 | 9 | |
| SG: Approach-the-Green | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| SG: Around-the-Green | 3 | 58 | 33 | |
| SG: Putting | 6 | 26 | 8 | |
| SG: Tee-to-Green | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Scrambling | 4 | 70 | 2 | |
| Bogey Avoidance | T3 | T36 | 1 | |
| Par-3 Scoring | T23 | T2 | 1 | |
| Par-4 Scoring | 1 | T2 | 4 | |
| Par-5 Scoring | T1 | T8 | 39 |
Extra Credit (players entered this week only)
2021
Winner Jordan Spieth made it three consecutive 30 or younger players to pick up the title and three consecutive winning scores of 17-under or better! ... All time money leader at the event Charley Hoffman (2nd) played the final 54 holes 19-UNDER PAR and still lost by two. ... Englishman Matt Wallace (3rd) led the field in SG: Approach the Green, SG: Tee to Green, Bogey Avoidance and Scrambling on his debut. ... Lucas Glover (4th) led the field in Proximity and GIR and was T14 in his previous visit 2015. ... Anirban Lahiri (5th) finished fourth SG: Putting. ... Chris Kirk (T6) T3 GIR and picks up his fourth T13 or better in six tries. ... Brandt Snedeker (T6) was third in Putting as he needed only 103 for the week. ... Gary Woodland (T6) had a very balanced week as he was sixth SG: Tee to Green, second SG: Around the Green and was second Par-4 scoring. ... Patton Kizzire (T9) posted the low round of Sunday with a bogey free 65 and was second SG: Approach the Green. ... Defending champ Corey Conners (T14) posted three more rounds under par. ... First Round leader Camilo Villegas (T17) posted 64, lowest round of the week. ... Spieth and Wallace played from the final group. ... Only the top five were 10-under or better. ... Spieth's 18-under was the second best winning total. ... 13 bogey free rounds. ... 72.475 scoring average ranked 15th most difficult of 51 courses used in 2021.
2020
No event
2019
Winner and Monday Qualifier Corey Conners set the tournament scoring record, circled TWENTY NINE BIRDIES and became the first international winner since 2014 (fourth overall). ... Charley Hoffman (2nd) posted 17-UNDER over the last 54 holes. ... Si Woo Kim (T4) led by one after 18, FOUR after 36 and played from the final group Sunday with a one shot lead. ... Brian Stuard (T4) picked up his only top 10 by squaring just four bogeys and posting second in Proximity. ... Kevin Streelman (6th) stormed home with 64, matching the lowest round of the day and the week. ... Graeme McDowell (T7) backed up his win at Corales with another top 10. ... Matt Kuchar (T7) T4 Fairways and T3 GIR and never has MC in NINE tries. ... Dallas resident Danny Lee (T7) picked up his only top 10 here. ... Adam Schenk (T7) led the field SG: Putting. ... Defending champ Andrew Landry (MC) hasn't found the weekend since his victory in 2018. ... 20 bogey free rounds. ... 71.242 played the easiest since 2012. ... Sunny and breezy turned into cloudy, wet and rainy as the weekend progressed leading to lower scores.
Notes:
• The Oaks Course debuted in 2010 and any course history before that is irrelevant***.
• More overseed and Bermuda for those coming off Match Play and Valspar.
• There have been no repeat champions or multiple winners.
• Only four winners from 12 are internationals (Scott, Bowditch, Laird and Conners).
• Last three winners are 30 or under.
• Last three winners have posted the three lowest totals in Oaks history.
• Last three winners have been THE FIELD or THE FAVORITE.
• Ben Curtis (2012) is the last to win in their first attempt.
• Landry and Conners won in their second attempts while Spieth, Kevin Chappell, Hoffman and Jimmy Walker all won in their sixth or seventh.
• Course record is 62 by Trey Mullinax (Round 3, 2018).
• There has never been a playoff.
• ***Charley Hoffman since 2006 has FIVE top five paydays, SEVEN top 10s, 12 top 25s and 15 made cuts to lead all players. Exception, not rule.
• San Antonio resident Abraham Ancer has never missed in four attempts.
• JT Poston, Kramer Hickok, Kyle Stanley, Troy Merritt and Beau Hossler are on streaks of three straight.
• Rickie Fowler T17-T17 in his only two visits.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week; Select players with top 10 finishes since 2017.
| Par-5 Scoring | |
| Rank | Player |
| 5 | Hideki Matsuyama |
| 18 | Jordan Spieth |
| 23 | Si Woo Kim |
| 31 | Matt Jones |
| 31 | Luke List |
| 36 | Danny Lee |
| 36 | Sahith Theegala |
| 36 | Gary Woodland |
| 40 | Sam Ryder |
| 40 | Jhonattan Vegas |
| Stroke-Gained: Approach the Green | |
| Rank | Player |
| 10 | Hideki Matsuyama |
| 11 | Mito Pereira |
| 12 | Austin Smotherman |
| 13 | Luke List |
| 16 | Russell Knox |
| 21 | Martin Laird |
| 24 | Matthew NeSmith |
| 25 | Adam Hadwin |
| 26 | Tony Finau |
| 31 | Lucas Glover |
| 32 | Keegan Bradley |
| 38 | Doug Ghim |
| 40 | Patton Kizzire |
| Putting: Birdie or Better Percentage | |
| Rank | Player |
| 11 | Danny Lee |
| 21 | Tony Finau |
| 24 | Vince Whaley |
| 26 | Jason Day |
| 28 | Hideki Matsuyama |
| 34 | Sam Ryder |
| 37 | Hudson Swafford |
| 41 | Davis Riley |
| 42 | Si Woo Kim |
| 43 | Maverick McNealy |
| 46 | Max McGreevey |
| 48 | Chad Ramey |