Justin Leonard to miss Valero Texas Open
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2003 Valero Texas Open | Preview | 25 Sep 2003
San Antonio Texas is the next stop on the USPGA Tour with the Valero Texas Open being staged at the La Cantera Resort for the ninth time. The event’s hottest performer in recent years, Justin Leonard, is not in the field this year following the arrival of his first born two weeks ago.
The event has some history dating back to 1922 when one Bob McDonald shot 281 over four rounds on the par 71, 6185 yard, Brackenridge Park golf course. It has always been played in San Antonio but has had many venues since 1922. Some of the game’s greats have won this event including Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer.
The Resort Course at La Cantera was designed by the team of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish and opened in 1994. Measuring just on 7000 yards and carrying a par of 70, the course has seen some low scoring in recent years with last year’s 261 by Loren Roberts and Justin Leonard’s 261 (2000) the best at this venue.
Recent winners here have been Roberts (2002), Leonard ( 2000, 2001), Duffy Waldorf (1999) and Hal Sutton (1998). Leonard has also finished second twice in recent years.
This year’s field will include David Toms, Sergio Garcia, Chris Riley, last week’s European Tour hero K.J. Choi, Fred Funk, USPGA runner up Chad Campbell, Bob Estes and Charles Howell III.
Australasians entered are Peter Lonard, Rod Pampling, Aaron Baddeley, Steve Allan, John Senden, Grant Waite, Paul Gow, Scott Laycock, Craig Perks, Gavin Coles, Steve Alker and Anthony Painter.
