The PGA Tour stays in the Lone Star State and makes the short drive from Houston to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open.
The second Texas event is the 15th event on the PGA Tour schedule and the last tune up opportunity before the Masters.
Established in 1022 as the Texas Open this will be the 94th edition of the event.
Since 2010 TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course has hosted the event. The par-72 Oaks Course is 7,435 yards and was co-designed by Greg Norman and Sergio Garcia, both of which are now aligned with LIV Golf.
The Valero Texas Open is not a Signature Event on the PGA Tour this season which means that top players are not required to play this week. The purse this year has increased from $8.9 million in 2023 to $9.2 million for this year’s event.
African-American Golfer pioneer Calvin Peete won the event in 1984 when it was contested as the Vantage Championship. Peete won $63,000 out of a purse of $350,000 for that year’s event. For perspective last year’s winner Corey Conners took home $1.6 million.
Tiger Woods has avoided this tournament for most of his career. He has made the trip to San Antonio just once in 1996 when the tournament was called the LaCantera Texas Open. Tiger finished 3rd that week.
Akshay Bhatia
This will be Akshay’s 3rd entry into the Valero Texas Open. His previous two trips resulted in a missed cut in 2021, and a tie for 46th in 2023.
In nine events so far this season Akshay has five top-25 finishes in the five cuts that he has made. His best finish was last week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open where he finished in a tie for 11th place.
Akshay qualified for this event by winning the Barracuda Championship last season.
Bhatia is ranked 55th in the FedEx Cup and 87th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Aaron Rai
This will be Aaron’s 3rd entry to the Valero Texas Open. In his previous two trips he finished in a tie for 29th in 2022 and a tie for 28th in 2023.
In nine events so far this season Rai has three top-25 finishes which includes one top-10 finish. His best result came last week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open where he finished in a tie for seventh place.
Aaron qualified by being in the top-70 on the prior year’s FedEx Cup points list through the Playoffs.
Rai is ranked 87th in the FedEx Cup and 73rd in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Joseph Bramlett
This will be Joseph’s fifth trip to San Antonio, in four previous trips he has made the cut twice. His best result same in 2021 where he finished in a fir for 34th place.
In nine events so for this season Joseph has two to-25 finishes. His best finish came back in March at the Valspar Championship where he finished in a tie for 17th place.
Bramlett is ranked 112 in the FedEx Cup and 196 in the Official World Gold Ranking.
Cam Champ
This will be Cam’s fifth trip to San Antonio. In four previous trips he has made the cut twice. His best result came in 2021 when he finished in a tie for 34th place.
In nine events so far this season Cam has one top-25 finish from three made cuts. His best result came at the Mexico Open at Vidanta where he finished in a tie for 24th place.
Cam qualified for this event by winning the 2021 3M Open.
Champ is ranked 165th on the FedEx Cup and 201 on the Official World Gold Ranking.
JJ Spaun
This will be JJ’s seventh time entering the Valero Texas Open. He won the event back in 2022 for his only win so far on the PGA Tour.
In nine events so far this season JJ has made the cut just three times. His best result was last week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open where he finished in a tie for 36th place.
He qualified for this week’s event by winning the event back in 2022.
Spaun is ranked 169 in the FedEx Cup and 140 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Tee Times
Bhatia: Thursday – 2:30PM; Friday – 9:15AM
Rai: Thursday – 8:31AM; Friday – 1:46PM
Bramlett: Thursday – 1:57PM; Friday – 8:42AM
Spaun: Thursday – 9:26AM; Friday – 2:41PM