2023 Valero Texas Open: Top 10 Power Rankings at TPC San Antonio

It was hard to see JJ Spaun’s win coming at the 2022 Valero Texas Open. He’s done a good job at keeping his PGA Tour card in recent years, but was far from contending week in and week out.

In fact, his previous top-10 before his maiden victory was six months earlier against a weak field at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Not to mention, Spaun’s course history at TPC San Antonio wasn’t gleaming. He made half of four cuts with T-26th his best finish.

That’s just how pro golf can be sometimes. Players are so talented and fields are so deep that anyone can heat up in a hurry.

Spaun posted 67-70-69-69 (-13) to win by a couple shots over Matt Jones and Matt Kuchar. It’s hard to sleep on a 54-hole lead, but Spaun went from tied at the top to finishing it off by two.

The win didn’t open the floodgates, but he posted one more top-10 and advanced to the BMW Championship where he finished T-23rd to cap the best season of his career.

Job security perhaps helped Spaun relax into good form in 2022-23. He’s made seven of 11 cuts seven top-25s. Spaun was T-5th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and won his group to advance to the round of 16 at last week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Spaun dusted Matt Fitzpatrick 5 & 3 and Sahith Theegala 5 & 4 before beating Min Woo Lee 2&1 to avoid needing a playoff to win the group.

Not bad for one of the last players to get in the field.

Spaun’s run came to an end 3 & 2 against Xander Schauffele in an all-San Diego State battle.

In windy conditions this week, guys are going to miss greens. Spaun is fourth on the PGA Tour in scrambling this season (68.88%).