Can Leonard extend record at Texas Open
IN: News | US PGA | Valero Texas Open (2008) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 08 Oct 2008
The Valero Texas Open is the fifth last tournament on this season’s PGA Tour and with so much yet to be decided between now and the end of season Children’s Miracle Network Classic in Orlando, the tournament takes on even greater significance.
The Resort Course at the La Cantera GC will again play host as it has for this event since 1995, the Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish designed layout opening a year earlier.
Three times a winner at this venue and twice runner up, Justin Leonard, will likely start the favourite to successfully defend his latest victory in the event, which came twelve months ago when he defeated Jesper Parnevik in a playoff.
The player who has the most impressive record in this event in recent years is Dean Wilson, who boasts four top tens in four starts. Wilson has not played well since July, however he remains a solid chance. A return to this golf course and the good memories it carries for him might just be the tonic he needs to contend again.
Charley Hoffman hasn’t contended of late but he has only missed one cut in his last 13 starts and with two good results in his two times in this event he could do well. There is something about this part of Texas that seems to suit Hoffman as it was just a little further north in Midland in Texas where Hoffman won his only event on the Nationwide Tour.
Brian Gay has played well in recent starts including his near miss at the Viking Classic as a runner up. His results in this event have been mixed but he has found form of late, a 13th place at the BMW preceding his runner up to Will MacKenzie at the Viking.
Chad Campbell has done well enough at this event to be a factor. His form is mixed of late but there has been enough to suggest that it could get better.
J.J. Henry seems to have an affinity with the layout at La Cantera, having put together four top ten finishes in his last five starts at the course. He might not be at his peak right now but like Campbell there has been enough to suggest that a major turnaround this week is not beyond the realms of possibility.
There are plenty of Australasians in the field, who could be considered significant chances.
Rod Pampling (44th on the money list), Mathew Goggin (46th), Peter Lonard (68th), Nick O’Hern (70th), John Senden (73rd), Steve Elkington (76th), Steve Allan (139th), Nathan Green (101st), Tim Wilkinson (112th), Matt Jones (124th), Jason Day (124th), Steve Allan (139th), Brett Rumford (156th), Mark Hensby (156th), Nick Flanagan (160th), Andrew Buckle (197th) and David Lutterus (213th) all get their chance.
With so many having played well in New York last week, it would not surprise if one of them did even better than Allenby’s near miss at Turning Stone Resort.
Steve Allan has done extremely well in his last two starts this season (4th and 3rd) and although he has not played this event in four years, he has put the occasional good round together over this layout.
