There is one tournament left before the great and the good of the golfing world head down Magnolia Lane and it comes in the form of the Valero Texas Open, for those not yet in the field at The Masters, the last chance to book their spot in the event.
Ian Poulter did that 12 months ago when the Shell Houston Open was the precursor to the opening major of the year but with this tournament being moved into its place, it is Andrew Landry who has the honour of defending the title.
Recent Winners
2018 – Andrew Landry
2017 – Kevin Chappell
2016 – Charley Hoffman
2015 – Jimmy Walker
2014 – Steven Bowditch
2013 – Martin Laird
2012 – Ben Curtis
2011 – Brendan Steele
2010 – Adam Scott
2009 – Zach Johnson
The Course
Once again the tournament takes place at TPC San Antonio this week. Prior to last year it was one of the tougher tracks on the circuit but there is a chance that it could play easier this week with the PGA Tour often setting up their last course before Augusta to model the iconic venue next week and give an incentive for players to turn up here to prepare for The Masters.
The track is a par 72 which measures 7,435 yards with some lengthy par 5s which even the longer hitters can’t reach. The trick to this place is hitting these large, undulating greens in regulation and then holing putts on them. Usually with that in mind there is a need to play this course from the fairway but if the course is set up to mirror Augusta then the rough might not be so bad. Either way I want good putters here.
The Field
Only 17 men who have already qualified to tee it up next week are in the field this week. That field is headed by Rickie Fowler who often likes to tee it up immediately prior to a major. Jordan Spieth might get the attention here though. He is in his home state and all eyes will be on him to see how he is going ahead of Augusta.
They are not the only leading lights in the field though. Tony Finau is here while last week’s beaten finalist also tees it up in Matt Kuchar. Billy Horschel is always popular here and then there is the Players Championship runner up Jim Furyk. Puntacana champion Graeme McDowell has one last tilt at making it into next week too.
Market Leaders
Rickie Fowler will tee off as a 10/1 favourite to win the tournament. The first thing to ask, as is the case with a number of players teeing it up this week, is whether his motivation is to win the tournament or if he is here to get some oil into the swing and work on a few things ahead of next week. Either way, he is plenty short enough at the 10/1 mark even in this field so he isn’t for me.
Tony Finau is a 16/1 shot to win this week. He hasn’t registered a single top 10 finish in 2019 in seven attempts and doesn’t win nearly enough to justify these prices even in a field which would have to be described as relatively weak. He’s easy to swerve as is Matt Kuchar at 18/1. I’m slightly disappointed he’s in the field this week because although he’s a shorter hitter he would be on my radar next week but seven rounds last week and possibly four this week may not be the best preparation for The Masters. As for here, it would take a huge effort to play seven rounds in five days last week then win here. He’s not for me.
Billy Horschel will go off as a 20/1 poke to win the tournament. He probably ticks all the boxes required to win around here but he’s plenty short enough as well it has to be said. Jordan Spieth is 22/1 here and if he putts like we know he can that will look massive very quickly, but we would be taking a chance on that being the case and I’m not really one for chances unless the price merits it. It doesn’t in this case. It is 28/1 bar.
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Main Bets
I’ll go with a couple of main bets this week. Jason Kokrak is the first of them. It can only be a matter of time before he lands a PGA Tour title and given that he is not yet in The Masters, now would be a blinding time for it to come. Much of Kokrak’s game revolves around his excellence from tee to green but the longer he goes the more he’ll work on his putting and that will come good too. He is 28/1 this week and based on his T2 at the Valspar and top 10s in two of his three starts prior to that, that price in this field looks on the bigger side to normal.
Jim Furyk is my other main bet. I came so close to landing the full bunce on him a few weeks ago in The Players Championship and he is another not yet in the field next week and has one last chance to secure his spot here. Furyk has a couple of top 10s around this track in his heyday and the way he is playing at the minute you’ve got to think he has every chance of competing strongly here. Furyk didn’t just come second at Sawgrass, he took care of Jason Day and Phil Mickelson in the match play last week. At 28/1 I’m happy to have Jim on my side again.
Outsiders
With this being the only tournament this week I’ll take three outsiders here. The first of them is last week’s winner Graeme McDowell. I wouldn’t normally take the man who won last week but I think that win will only have allowed the penny to drop for McDowell that he can still do it at this level. I wouldn’t have thought Gmac will have got too carried away with the win last week. There is a bigger picture notably getting in next week and then The Open at Portrush down the line. The only way the former aim comes about is with a win here and at 66/1 I’ll pay to see how much putting damage he can do on this course.
Andrew Putnam is high up on a lot of the putting statistics on the PGA Tour this season and this week could be just what he needed. He began 2019 with a runner up in the Sony Open but since then it has been relatively low key although if you look at the events he has played in – Desert Classic, Phoenix Open, Genesis Open and The Players, it is no surprise his results haven’t been the best. He’s in a weaker field here on a course which should set up nicely for his game. At 70/1 I’ve a feeling he’ll go well here.
I took Wyndham Clark a couple of weeks ago at the Valspar and while he only ran middle of the road in hindsight that might have been too strong a field for him but I’ll chance him again because this isn’t the best field and there is no denying that he’s been in decent touch and is a pretty good putter. His top 10s in Puerto Rico and at The Honda Classic show that he is moving in the right direction and if we put the Valspar behind him he is overpriced at 125/1 here.
Tips
PLACED – Back J.kokrak to win Valero Texas Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-8)
Back him here:
Back J.Furyk to win Valero Texas Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-8)
Back him here:
Back G.McDowell to win Valero Texas Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with 888sport (1/5 1-6)
Back W.Clark to win Valero Texas Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with 888sport (1/5 1-6)
Back them here:
Back A.Putnam to win Valero Texas Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 71.00 with Sky Bet (1/5 1-8)
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