Golf Tips: Best bets for Valero Texas Open before US Masters

Max Liu
29 March 2023
3:00 min read

Tyrrell Hatton is a worthy favourite in Texas but the value is elsewhere in the market

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Get tips for this week's Valero Texas Open - the final PGA Tour event before the US Masters - from Steve Rawlings, Dave Tindall and the rest of our golf experts...

Last tournament before US Masters 2023 next week
Steve Rawlings backs Kirk to kick on
Dave Tindall says Rai ready to take next step
Make it 80/1 Martin for first round leader
Former-champ Chappell backed at 239/1

Valero Texas Open: Kirk backed to go in again

Steve Rawlings says: "Tyrrell Hatton heads a wide-open market and that makes sense given he's been trending towards a victory of late.

The 31-year-old Englishman is without a victory in more than two years but prior to his early exit in the WGC Match Play last week (lost all three group games), he had form figures reading 6-40-4-2...

"Chris Kirk's form has understandably cooled off a bit since he won the Honda Classic in impressive fashion last month.

He finished only 39th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational the following week, having sat second after the opening round, and after missing the cut at the Players Championship, he managed only half a point at last week's Match Play, courtesy of a draw with Matt Kuchar, but I was happy to chance him modestly here at [40.0.].

"With a third in the Sony behind Kim and a third in the American Express prior to his victory at the Honda, Kirk's already enjoyed a stellar 2023 but with course form figures here reading 48-8-13-MC-8-MC-6-35, he could deliver another high finish and 40.0 looked fair."

Back Chris Kirk @

40.0

Valero Texas Open Each-Way Tips: Rai can hit new high

Dave Tindall says: "An Englishman, Matt Wallace, took victory at the Corales Puntacana last week so maybe that could inspire Aaron Rai to follow suit.

aaron rai kft.jpg

"Rai did well here in his rookie season in 2022, shooting 67-74-68 over his first 54 holes. He sat third after day one and seventh with a round to play before slipping to tied 29th at the finish.

"It followed a run of MC-MC-66-61-MC so this was a tournament where Rai found some form.

"The 28-year-old finished seventh on his last start in Texas, November's Houston Open, and a top 20 at The Players Championship last time is another possible flashing sign that something big is around the corner."

Back Aaron Rai each-way @

40/1

Valero Texas Open First-Round Leader Tips: Make it Martin at 80/1

Dave Tindall says: "Ben Martin was the first-round leader at the Corales Puntacana last week, repeating the feat he managed there in 2022.

"The American has been finding early birdies easy to come by of late and was also eighth after day one at Pebble Beach and 12th following the opening lap of the Valspar Championship.

"Those strong starts have helped him bank a fifth, an eighth and a 13th in his last five outings so confidence is high.

"Martin was 18th after the first round of this event last year while prior to that he was in the top eight after 18 holes of two of his four previous starts in Texas. His ball-striking looks strong right now and that bodes well for TPC San Antonio where he's made five of his six cuts."

Back Ben Martin e-w @

80/1

Find Me a 100 Winner: Past champ worth chancing at the Texas Open

Steve Rawlings says: "Kevin Chappell won his one and only PGA Tour title here in 2017 - birdying the 72nd hole to beat Brooks Koepka by a stroke.

"That looked like being a springboard for better things to come but after a sixth placed finish at the Open Championship in 2018, he suffered a back injury that required surgery and he's not really sparked since.

TPC SAN ANTONIO 2023 2.jpg

"It looked like he was going to pick up from where he left off when he fired a 59 in round two of the Greenbrier Classic soon after returning to action in 2019 but he went on to finish 47th and his 13th place finish at the Honda Classic last year his highest finish since.

"It's been a tough road back for Chappell but he may just be getting there given he's made his last three cuts - finishing 29th at the Honda Classic, 15th in the Puerto Rico Open and 16th in the Corales Puntacana Championship last week. Prior to that, he'd missed nine of his last 10 cuts so there are definitely signs of improvement."

Back Kevin Chappell @

240.0

Valero Texas Open 2023: Course and current form stats

Andy Swales says: "The Oaks Course was designed by Greg Norman in collaboration with Sergio Garcia. It was opened just three months before it joined the PGA Tour rota and, according to the club website, the venue's downhill holes are played into the prevailing wind, while uphill holes travel in the opposite direction.

"TPC San Antonio is laid out just over 1,000 feet above sea level, with water coming into play on only two holes - which is rare for such a modern course. As the majority of fairways are tree-lined and tight, solid ball striking is a pre-requisite for scoring low...

"Favourite Tyrrell Hatton is the highest-ranked player teeing-up. Three top-10s on the PGA Tour this year, including runner-up at TPC Sawgrass."

Player to Watch: Tyrrell Hatton @

15.5

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