2022 Valero Texas Open: Top 10 power rankings at TPC San Antonio

After wrist and hip injuries have sidelined him since his withdrawal from the Saudi International in February, Bryson DeChambeau is back on the horse competing.

He returned last week for the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship. He flashed some good signs, but there was plenty of rust as he failed to advance past the group stage with an 0-2-1 record.

DeChambeau tied group winner Richard Bland, but could not vanquish Lee Westwood or Talor Gooch.

The big golfer arrives at the Valero Texas Open for the third time but first in five years. He missed the cut at TPC San Antonio in 2016 and 2017.

He’s evolved into a much better golfer since those days. Dechambeau is strong enough to do just fine on a longer layout like the Oaks course and will have an advantage over the field playing from the rough as long as it’s not too taxing on his recently ailing body.

The former SMU Mustang said he’s still not 100% recovered, though that may not matter against a week field assembled at TPC San Antonio.

He claimed his hand injury occurred while playing table tennis at the Saudi International.

“People are going to say it’s off of speed training and all that and, sure, some of the things have been a part of that, just abuse and working really, really hard,” DeChambeau said in a golfchannel.com article. “But at the same time, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. I’ve learned so much about my body as time has gone on and learned how to manage things and how important rest is.”

DeChambeau does not have enough rounds on the PGA Tour this season to qualify for statistical rankings. Last season, he was fifth in strokes gained tee to green (1.367) and 20th in SG putting (.456). He may have to lean on his underrated putting skills to get by until he can return to mashing the ball at full bore as he’d prefer.