Valero Texas Open enjoys new time slot
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Valero Texas Open | Preview | 13 May 2009
The Valero Texas Open has a new time slot on the PGA Tour schedule but it remains as one of the oldest PGA Tour events. It is the third oldest in that regard having first been played in 1922 but has been played at the Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish designed Resort Course at the La Cantera Golf Club since 1995.
2009 will, however, be the final year at La Cantera as in 2010 the event will be played at the new Greg Norman designed TPC layout.
The tournament has regularly been played in September or October and it has, in recent years, been part of the Fall Series but in 2009 it joins the Fed Ex Cup series of tournaments. Clearly this is a huge lift for the event in terms of its PGA Tour status, an increase of US$1.6 million in prizemoney reflecting that greater profile.
Zach Johnson defends the title he won in 2008 by edging out Charlie Wi, Tim Wilkinson and Mark Wilson by two shots. Johnson is actually playing better than was the case when he arrived in San Antonio last year and a successful defence would hardly surprise.
Justin Leonard is a three time winner at La Cantera and has played well enough on occasions in 2009 for his great record at the Resort Course to continue this week. Texas born and bred, Leonard seems to have a genuine comfort zone in the Lone Star state and he appears a good chance.
With two of the PGA Tour’s elite events just completed the field, this week is missing some of its stars as they take a break to prepare for the weeks leading into the US Open. As a result Anthony Kim is the leading world ranked player in the field. Kim finished runner up to Eric Axley in this event in 2006 and while his current form is not great is it not all bad.
Surely Tim Clark must break through for his first PGA Tour victory soon. He has not played this event for four years but when he did play earlier in his career he produced several very good rounds. Clark has put together several very good finishes this season including when 9th last week at the Players and when 13th at the Masters. I like his chances this week.
John Mallinger is another looking for his first PGA Tour win but as a player who has finished 3rd at the Masters and 6th at the Houston Open in recent weeks and as a player who finished 15th in his only start here two years ago he has the credentials. He and Tim Clark both have a great opportunity for a significant week in their respective careers.
Chad Campbell’s recent runner up finish at the Masters gives him the right to be considered as one of the favourites this week. He has not contended as such in this event when he has played but he has done well enough for him to be a factor.
Charley Hoffman has played this course well on occasions and has made the cut in his last 21 PGA Tour starts with the occasional top ten. In this weaker field than those he has faced in recent weeks he is a genuine chance.
Aaron Baddeley is playing this event for the first time since 2005 and will be buoyed by the brilliant last day effort at the Players when he improved from last to 9th. He is the leading Australasians in terms of world ranking and should have a good week.
The other Australasians in the field are Nick O’Hern, Steve Elkington, Steve Allan, Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Jason Day, Nathan Green, Mark Hensby, Matt Jones, Stephen Leaney, Marc Leishman, Peter Lonard, Jarrod Lyle, James Nitties and Aron Price. New Zealander Tim Wilkinson finished runner up last year and if he can find the form that saw him finish 6th at the recent Verizon he could do well again.
