The PGA Tour is in Texas for the Valero Texas Open, a final tournament before the Masters, and look for there to be plenty of late-round drama. Not all of the tickets to the Masters have been given out, and if a non-Masters invitee wins this weekend, he will suddenly have new travel plans to make.
It happened in the most dramatic fashion three years ago when Corey Conners qualified for the Valero Texas Open on the Monday before the tournament and then won it, playing the following weekend at the biggest event in American golf.
So keep an eye on the final Sunday groups and who might have added incentive and added pressure over the last few holes.
Favorites to Win Valero Texas Open
- Rory McIlroy (+800)
- Jordan Spieth (+1400)
- Corey Conners (+1800)
- Hideki Matsuyama (+2000)
- Abraham Ancer (+2000)
- Bryson DeChambeau (+2800)
- Si-Woo Kim (+3500)
- Tony Finau (+3500)
- Keegan Bradley (+3500)
- Chris Kirk (+3500)
- Maverick McNealy (+3500)
- Adam Hadwin (+3500)
- Gary Woodland (+3500)
Most of the world’s best are skipping this final tune-up before the Masters, but favorite Rory McIlroy is here. He’s won the U.S. Open, The British Open, and the PGA Championship, but his best-ever finish in Augusta was fourth in 2015. He played the Valero Texas Open just once before, in 2013, and he finished second.
Jordan Spieth was the winner at the Masters in 2015, the same year that McIlroy finished fourth. The native Texan was the winner at this event in 2021. At the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship last week, Spieth finished 35th.
The aforementioned Corey Conners, a winner here in 2019, is coming off a great third-place showing at the WGC-Dell Match Play Championship. Two tournaments before that, he was 11th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Best Value Bets
At +3500, you should give Chris Kirk a look. He finished T5 at the Arnold Palmer, T7 at the Honda Classic, and T14 at the Phoenix Open.
To go along with his great play over the last two months, he has three top-10 finishes at the Texas Open. A win here would net you a tidy sum and put Kirk in the Masters for the first time since 2016.
Another golfer at +3500 deserving of consideration is Gary Woodland. He had T5s at both the Arnold Palmer and Honda Classic, and last year at the Valero Texas Open, he finished with a T6.
If you’re really feeling it, Luke List is paying +5000. He’s not been good since his win at Torrey Pines two months ago, but he does have that win, and he was inside the top-20 at this tournament last year.
Pay Per Head Software
Following the Valero Texas Open tournament in San Antonio this weekend, we’re in Georgia next weekend for the Masters. Then after that, the PGA Tour makes its annual trip to Hilton Head and the RBC Heritage.
If you are an independent bookmaker, this is the time to join forces with a top pay per head software provider like WagerHome.com. Get your own customizable website, access to WagerHome’s huge menu of sports and betting options, plus EZ live betting.
See a demo today at WagerHome.com.
Join the conversation