Rafael Guillén
It’s a calm week before the first major of the year in the world of golf. The Valero Texas Open won’t feature the world’s top golfers, who are taking a breather before tackling one of the most important tournaments of the year: the Masters.
However, that doesn’t mean the course won’t be competitive. Many golfers want to be in Texas to keep their skills sharp for the Masters, and even those who aren’t invited to the first major of the year will still see this event as an opportunity to build their confidence.
The TPC San Antonio has two courses, and the tournament will be played on the Oaks Course, which was designed by Greg Norman and Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia. One of its notable features is that it helps professionals finish below par.
It’s not a particularly difficult course, and it’s a lot of fun for the golfers. This is a classic event on the PGA calendar and the third oldest on the tour, dating back to 1922. It has been won by some of the biggest names in golf, such as Arnold Palmer, who was a three-time champion (1960, 1961, 1962).
It’s a prestigious tournament, but because it takes place one week before the Masters, many of the world’s top-ranked golfers take this week off to rest, especially after the grueling WGC Match Play from last week.
Without further ado, at JefeBet, we present to you the favorites of this highly attractive tournament due to its tradition and the fact that many golfers take advantage of it to showcase their skills and potentially win a title that can often lead to invitations to important tournaments.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Previews for the Valero Texas Open PGA Tour Event to be Held on Mar 27–Apr 2 2023
- Where: TPC San Antonio – San Antonio, Texas
- When: Thursday, March 27 – Sunday, April 2
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Favorites
Tyrrell Hatton. (+1300 odds on DraftKings)
He’s gunning for his second career title, and his performance at The Players suggests he may be improving his game in a big way. Hatton finished fourth at the Arnold Palmer, and even though he didn’t do as well at the WGC Match Play, he’s still playing well.
He’ll be at Augusta next week since he’s in the top 50 of the world rankings, and obviously arriving with good form to the challenging Georgia course is perfect. His short game has been quite impressive lately, and on this course, his strong driving will help him build confidence.
Hideki Matsuyama (+2400 odds on DraftKings)
We mentioned earlier that this course is favorable for “bombers,” and Matsuyama has one of the most powerful drives on the entire tour. That’s a huge advantage for him, especially since he’s been raising his game lately. After missing the cut at both the Genesis and Arnold Palmer tournaments, he found his rhythm at The Players.
He finished in fifth place with two great final rounds: shooting 67 and 68 in the third and fourth rounds after a slow start. At the WGC, he finished in 31st place, but he played well in all the rounds. This tournament will also help him find his rhythm for the Masters of Augusta, which he already won in 2021.
Rickie Fowler (+2000 odds on DraftKings)
For Fowler, winning the Valero Texas Open is of utmost importance because if he doesn’t, he won’t be able to attend the Masters. This is perhaps the most attractive storyline and the novel of the tournament, as he hasn’t played in the Masters since 2019, when he finished ninth. He hasn’t gone because his level has dropped, and he hasn’t won any event since then, so he doesn’t meet the criteria that give an invitation to the first major of the season.
This year hasn’t been the best for him either. Since the Zozo Championship, where he finished second, he hasn’t managed to finish within the top 10. He played very well at the WGC Match Play and finished in 17th place. It’s a do-or-die situation for Fowler.
Sleeper Picks
Si Woo Kim. (+2100 odds on DraftKings)
He has already won a tournament this season, shooting a -18 to win the Sony Open with his almost perfect last two rounds. He has not been as consistent when there is more competition, but in the WGC Match Play he showed a bit of what we saw in the Sony Open.
Corey Conners (+1700 odds on DraftKings)
The Canadian won this tournament in 2019, which was his best year. This has been his only victory on the PGA Tour, and he knows the course perfectly. This is the ideal moment for him to win again, especially because there is not much competition on the field. He hasn’t been in his best form this season, but being the champion of this tournament makes him a natural contender.
Dark Horse
Kevin Chappell (+15000 odds on DraftKings)
He has improved a lot because his year had been very weak. He missed the cut in 5 straight tournaments, finished 29th in the Honda Classic, 15th in the Puerto Rico Open, and fought hard in the Corales Puntacana where he finished in 16th place. Another reason we think he could pull off a surprise is the history of odds in this tournament.
In the last 5 tournaments, players with high odds (+20000) to win the Valero Texas Open have lifted the trophy, with only Jordan Spieth (+3500) and Charley Hoffman (+3000) being the exception to this rule. Will it happen again?
JefeBet Prediction
We like Fowler’s story, and the fact that he’s fighting for a spot in the Masters adds an extra ingredient to the Valero Texas Open. But we believe that Hideki Matsuyama will win the Texan tournament and head to Augusta in top form. Fowler will have to wait for another chance.
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