Course: TPC San Antonio, measuring at 7,400 yards. The event found a permanent home at TPC San Antonio back in 2010. This is not an easy course, and with wind always in the forecast, a low ball flight and a great short game will be king this week. Expect winning scores to be in the single digit under par, but with good weather, it may creep up to ten under par.
Strength Of Field: C-. Coming off the Florida swing, where so many big name players tee'd it up, this is a bit of a let down. Jordan Speith and Dustin Johnson are your needle movers this week. Most of the top pros are either using Houston next week as a warm up for Augusta, or they shut it down after the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Only 13 of the top 30 in the world are playing this week. This makes it a perfect opportunity for a Cinderella story to make it to The Masters.
Extra Tidbits: This is the final week to qualify for The Masters based on World Golf Ranking. Those inside the top 50 will receive an invite. The spotlight will be on Marc Warren and Harris English, the two who can play their way in with a big week in San Antonio. Warren is currently sitting at 52 in the World Golf Rankings, with English sitting at 53. Alexander Levy, who is at 54, is playing on the European Tour this week, and could also play his way into The Masters...The Texas Open is a huge event for any native Texan on the PGA Tour. Among the Texans who can claim to be winners of their state's open are Byron Nelson, Ben Crenshaw, and Justin Leonard, who is tied with Arnold Palmer for the most wins in the Texas Open...27 players who are already qualified for The Masters are teeing it up this week...Daniel Chopra, Lance Lopez, J.J. Killeen, and Thomas Birdsey are the Monday Qualifiers. Chopra is a two time PGA Tour winner who made the cut in his only other start in 2015, the Puerto Rico Open. Killeen is a former Tour member who last held his card in 2012.
Fantasy Four:
Jimmy Walker - Native Texan who is currently sitting at number one in the FedEx Cup standings. Looking for some strong momentum heading into the first major of the year. Strong crowd following Walker could give him a boost.
Ryan Palmer - Another native Texan who has been playing well all season. Has a low ball flight that should set up perfectly for TPC San Antonio. This week will feel like a major for Palmer, and he will have plenty of backing from the crowd.
Daniel Berger - Playing too well to ignore. Finished T13 last week with a final round that included an albatross. Currently inside the top 20 in the FedEx Cup, but will need to win in order to make The Masters. He's making his case for best rookie of 2015.
Zach Johnson - Final round at Bay Hill was great, but could have been better had it not been for a few dumb mistakes. Still struggling with the putter, but his game seems to work in Texas. Finished inside the top 10 last year during a stretch of golf where he was really struggling. This is the time of year he seems to start putting it together, and this will be the first major test.
Last Weeks Team:
Henrik Stenson: 2
Keegan Bradley: T49
Sean O'Hair: T29
J.B. Holmes: CUT
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