We are on the doorstep of Masters week, with the Valero Texas Open being the last PGA Tour event standing between us and Magnolia Lane. Golf fans shouldn’t shrug off Valero this week, as many big names are getting their final tune-ups before making the trek to Augusta National.
TPC San Antonio prefers a skill set of strong play from the irons down, a skill profile very similar to that of Augusta. Past champions of this event have relied on strong short-game performances and making putts when needed, and I don’t see any reason why that should change this week.
We were so close to getting back into the winner’s circle at the Texas Children's Houston Open, but Min Woo Lee just held on to stave off Scottie Scheffler.
With that being said, I would like to announce this: Scottie Scheffler is back. It’s going to be him or Rory McIlroy at Augusta, and I don’t see anyone else popping through. Before The Masters, though, let’s look at who should take home a new pair of cowboy boots from Valero.
Honorable Mentions: Eric Cole, Rickie Fowler, Jake Knapp, Mac Meissner, Keith Mitchell
9. Jordan Spieth
I want to believe in the Prodigal Son being back, and I will be talking myself into Jordan Spieth at Augusta.
For now, I can see things trending in the right direction for the 2021 champion of this event. Get onto a course he's familiar with, has had success at in the past, in front of his home crowd, and get things rolling heading into The Masters. We believe in Spieth in this house.
8. Daniel Berger
Daniel Berger is in the midst of a stretch of five straight top-25 finishes this year, marking the most consistent play we've seen from him since before his time off to heal the bulging disc in his back.
American golf is better when Berger is playing well, and I hope he unlocks a run at being a captain's pick for the Ryder Cup. Although Berger hasn't played well at TPC San Antonio in the past, I think he can turn things around this week.
7. Ludvig Aberg
Ludvig Aberg's play has been a little off since his win at The Genesis, with his most recent result being a surprising missed cut at The Players Championship.
I want to treat Ludvig as a true top-five player in the world, but he just needs that one last bit of consistency to reach that level.
He finished T14 here last year with negative strokes gained around the green and putting, so I like his chances to put together a strong week if he's even just average chipping and putting.
6. Hideki Matsuyama
Another surprising missed cut at The Players, Hideki Matsuyama has a skill profile that matches up perfectly with TPC San Antonio.
Matsuyama finished T7 last year at the Texas Open, overcoming a cold putter to a strong finish. As we warm up for The Masters, I would expect to see the 2021 green jacket winner's game click into place.
5. Keegan Bradley
O Captain, my Captain!
Keegan Bradley’s play has been making it harder and harder to justify leaving himself off the Ryder Cup team this year. He hasn’t played Valero since 2022, but his strong iron play and above-average short game make him a great fit for the course.
Hopefully, Bradley can shake off St. John’s disappointing run in the NCAA tourney and bring some glory back to the Red Storm this week.
4. Corey Conners
A two-time winner of the Valero Texas Open (2019, 2023), Corey Conners is built to play well at a course that favors strong short games.
Conners has finished eighth or better in each of his last three starts coming into this week, and he’s not showing signs of slowing down. TPC San Antonio tends to end up with winners in that “good, not great” category, and I think Conners fits in perfectly.
3. Akshay Bhatia
Akshay Bhatia won this event last year, and he's coming into this year's edition playing some of the best golf of his career.
He has finished in the top 10 in three of the last four events he has played, and the putter has been a weapon this season. Bhatia is hitting his stride on the PGA Tour and seems ready to fully break out as a true star.
2. Denny McCarthy
Denny McCarthy lost to Bhatia in a playoff last season, and I don't see why he can't contend again this year.
McCarthy has finished in the top 20 in three of his five appearances here and has regained some form as of late after a slow start to the season.
McCarthy's only downside is that he's not super long off the tee, but TPC San Antonio doesn't necessarily require that much length. Ride inverted Aldrich Potgieter this week.
1. Patrick Cantlay
Fun fact: Patrick Cantlay has never played the Valero Texas Open before. However, TPC San Antonio plays very similarly to TPC Summerlin, host of the Shriners Children's Open.
Let's look at Cantlay's finishes at Shriners in his career: Win, 2nd, 2nd, T8, T2. Perhaps still riding high off of winning the inaugural SoFi Cup, Cantlay could run away with the boots this weekend.