• FIELD: Valero Texas Open
• COURSE: TPC San Antonio (AT&T Oaks), 7,435 yards, par
72. A Greg Norman design with Sergio Garcia as a consultant, the Oaks
opened in 2010 as one of two courses that winds through Texas Hill
Country just north of San Antonio. Though much flatter than the
neighboring Canyons course (where the Champions Tour stop plays in
October), the Oaks presents a tougher challenge with narrow fairways,
bunkers as deep as 12 feet and native vegetation where unplayable lies
loom. Four years ago, Kevin Na recorded a 16 at the par-4 ninth hole
after struggling to free himself from rocks and underbrush.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• FIELD WATCH: World No. 6 Jordan Spieth and No.9 Dustin
Johnson, Florida Swing winners in recent weeks, head a lineup that
features 13 of the top 30 players in the current rankings. Spieth,
FedExCup leader Jimmy Walker and No. 30 Ryan Palmer give TPC San Antonio
three Texas pros among that group. … Johnson, winner of the WGC
Cadillac Championship, makes his first appearance at TPC San Antonio.
His last Texas Open start came in 2009, its final year at LaCantera GC. …
Sam Burns, last year's AJGA Rolex Boys Junior Player of the Year, will
play on a sponsor exemption as he tests himself in a professional event
for the first time.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 254, Tommy Armour III (2003 at LaCantera). TPC San Antonio record: 274, Adam Scott (2010), Martin Laird (2013).
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 60, Bart Bryant (3rd round, 2004 at
LaCantera), Zach Johnson (3rd round, 2009 at LaCantera). TPC San Antonio
record: 63, Matt Every (1st round, 2012), Martin Laird (4th round,
2013).
• LAST YEAR: Steven Bowditch survived a windblown 76 on the
final day to emerge with his first PGA TOUR victory, outlasting Will
MacKenzie and Daniel Summerhays by a shot. Bowditch came to San Antonio
with just two top-10 finishes in eight seasons, but used rounds of
69-67-68 to open a three-shot lead heading to the final day. The Aussie,
though, saw his lead shrink along the way to a front nine of 3-over 39
before steadying himself on the back. Bowditch's 76 was the highest
final-round score by a winner since Vijay Singh won the 2004 PGA
Championship with a closing 77. Just two men broke 70 on the final day -
Brendon Todd shot 68; Walker had a 69.
• STORYLINES: Spieth returns to action after winning the
Valspar Championship, becoming just the fourth man since 1940 to win
twice on TOUR before his 22nd birthday. He's still in quest of a top-5
in his native Texas, though, with a best finish of 7th at the 2013
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. … Phil Mickelson begins his
pre-Masters push, seeking a turnaround from a spotty opening run that
has yielded just one top-20 finish in four starts. … Masters invitations
hang in the balance for world No.51 Marc Warren and No.52 Harris
English, trying to crack the rankings' top 50 upon tournament's end.
After that, the only way to a last-gasp berth will be to win next week
at Houston. … Bowditch doesn't take much momentum into his title
defense, enduring five straight missed cuts before barely making the
weekend at Bay Hill.
• SHORT CHIPS: Freddie Jacobson hasn't finished lower than
18th since the tournament moved TPC San Antonio in 2010, including a tie
for 16th last year. The Swedish pro was runner-up in the course's debut
edition. … Two men have won back-to-back Valero Texas Opens since the
turn of the century: Justin Leonard (2000-01) and Zach Johnson
(2008-09). … Garcia again won't tee it up on the course he helped
design, having played the event just once since it relocated.
• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC).
Last week's winner, Bobcat. Congrats!
Updated Standings
1. Sea - 5659
2. dfs - 5193
3. Bobcat - 4623
4. Ed - 4131
5. 2952 - 3929
6. Liz-3802
7. NMT - 3565
8. 67810 - 3136
9. NiA - 3013
10. DL - 2873
11. kt - 2613
12. Bill - 2485
13. Ocala - 2415
14. Baldy - 1172
Good Luck!
This post was edited on 3/29 6:40 PM by DFSNOLE
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