The PGA Tour rolls into San Antonio this week for the Valero Texas Open. This is the Tour’s second trip to the Lonestar State after a Masters tune-up in Austin and Houston. They will be back in Texas for the Byron Nelson and Colonial events following next month’s Players Championship to finish off a sporadic 2016 Texas Swing.
This week’s defending champion is hometown hero Jimmy Walker. Walker made 22 birdies around TPC San Antionio last year to win by four strokes over Jordan Spieth.
Last week’s winner, Branden Grace, is the highest ranked player in the field at No. 11. Big names such as Patrick Reed, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, JB Holmes and Matt Kuchar will also be joining the defending champ on the tee Thursday.
What The Experts Are Saying
Jeff Sherman of GolfOdds.com and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has set Walker as the betting favorite at 15/1. Grace, Reed, Snedeker, Johnson, Koepka and Kuchar all check in at 20/1 to win. Mickelson, Holmes, Charley Hoffman and Bryson DeChambeau, hot off of his top-5 finish at the Heritage, all come in at 25/1.
Rob Bolton at PGATour.com set his Power Rankings as follows: 1. Hoffman, 2. Walker, 3. Johnson, 4. Kuchar, 5. Holmes, 6. Reed, 7. Aaron Baddeley, 8. Billy Horschel, 9. Freddie Jacobson, 10. Grace, 11. Brendan Steele, 12. Jason Kokrak, 13. Daniel Summerhayes, 14. Bryson DeChambeau, 15. Phil Mickelson.
Pat Mayo at RotoExperts.com likes the chalk — Walker, Holmes, Grace, Hoffman, DeChambeau and Koepka — and a few wildcards — Chris Kirk, Russell Henley and Baddeley
Lastly, Steve Bamford at Golf Betting System is backing Holmes, Koepka, Kokrak and Andrew Loupe.
Horses For Courses
Here’s how guys have fared recently in this tournament, via Golf Betting System:
One and Done
Patrick Reed
Used: Jimmy Walker, T10 (Hyundai); Brandt Snedeker, P2 (Sony); Patrick Reed, T56 (CB Challenge); Jamie Lovemark, T31 (Farmers); Bubba Watson, T14 (Phoenix); Phil Mickelson, 2 (Pebble); Charl Schwartzel, T45 (NTO); Sergio Garcia, 2 (Honda); Justin Rose, T17 (Cadillac); Ryan Moore, 3 (Valspar); Henrik Stenson, T3 (Bay Hill); Scott Brown, T5 (Puerto Rico); Paul Casey (Match Play); Louis Oosthuizen, MC (Shell); Rory McIlroy, T10 (Masters); Matt Kuchar, T9 (Heritage).
Winnings: $3,788,210
