Valero Texas Open Preview – Tiger’s not on the Prowl

Valero Texas Open Preview

It’s another Tiger-free week for golf betting fans when the PGA Tour heads to San Antonio, Texas for the Valero Texas Open without Woods among the field.

Golf fans may be wondering why the Valero Texas Open is being played in May instead of October like it has been the last two years. After the PGA’s regular Atlanta tour stop in May was removed from the schedule the Valero was moved up to May, where it becomes an official FedExCup event. Other than the date change everything else remains the same, with the tournament still being played at La Cantera Golf Club-Resort Course, the tourney’s home since 1995.

Last year at La Cantera it was Zach Johnson who topped the leaderboard after shooting 19-under par. That gave Johnson a two-stroke win over Charlie Wi, Mark Wilson, and Tim Wilkinson, who all tied for second at 17-under. Along with Johnson the last five winners of the Valero will all be returning to San Antonio this week to try and repeat as champion. This includes one multiple champion, Justin Leonard, who has actually won three times at La Cantera. Leonard’s last victory at La Cantera took place in 2007 and he also claimed the championship in back-to-back years in 2000 and 2001. Expect Leonard to be among the favorites on the golf odds to claim a fourth victory at La Cantera this week. Before Leonard won in 2007 the last four winners, who are all slated to play this week, included Eric Axley (2006), Robert Gamez (2005), and Bart Bryant (2004). From that trio only Bryant has won on the Tour since, with two wins during the 2005 season.

Any of them could get back to the top of the leaderboard at La Cantera this week because the Valero field is lacking in big names. None of the Top 10 ranked players in the world have committed to the Valero, and only one golfer in the Top 25 is scheduled to play. That lone member of the Top 25 is No. 15-ranked Anthony Kim. Even thought Kim has struggled this season and has only one Top-10 finish in eight events he should be the favorite on the golf odds this weekend as the top-ranked golfer among the field.

One other member of this week’s field to keep an eye on at La Cantera is Alex Cejka, considering his awful finish at The PLAYERS Championship last week. At the PLAYERS at TPC Sawgrass Cejka cruised through the first three rounds and entered Sunday with a five-stroke lead. By the end of the day Cejka had completely choked and shot a seven-over par to finish tied for ninth at four-under.

While Cejka fell apart in the final round Henrik Stenson put together one of the best rounds of his life with a six-under 66 to finished at 12-under par. That was four strokes better than second-place Ian Poulter at eight-under. Woods also suffered a similar fate to Cejka. In contention going into Sunday, Woods stumbled with a one-over par to finish alone in eighth at five-under. With the likes of Stenson, Poulter, and Woods not around to cause problems at La Cantera this week maybe Cejka can recover and put together four solid rounds in San Antonio instead of only three.