Valero Texas Open 2022: Course and current form stats

With just one week to go before the first major championship of 2022 tees-off, the PGA Tour heads to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open.

This week's state open will be celebrating 100 years in the 'business', after Brackenridge Park hosted the very first instalment back in 1922.

Since then there have been nine seasons when the Texas Open was not held, including two years ago due to the pandemic.

The tournament has always been played in the San Antonio region and is proudly the longest PGA Tour event to be staged in the same city.

As for the current venue, the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, it made its PGA Tour debut in 2010, and this week will be hosting the tournament for a 12th time.

Course Characteristics

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 from the tee is a pre-requisite for scoring low.

Greens are undulating and bunkers are large on what is a traditional parkland course.

Those arriving from Austin, home of last week's Dell Match Play event, will have travelled around 75 miles to get here and that is one of the shorter journeys between tournaments.

The Oaks Course is approximately 14 miles north of San Antonio city centre, and around 150 miles from the Mexican border.

Latest betting for this week's Valero Texas Open

Stroke Averages

Lowest 12 At TPC San Antonio (2015-21)
Average .... (Rounds)
69.33: Jordan Spieth (12)
69.50: Corey Conners (12)
70.17: Brandt Snedeker (12)
70.25: Charley Hoffman (24)
70.56: Kevin Streelman (16)
70.70: Lucas Glover (10)
70.73: Jimmy Walker (22)
70.75: Chris Kirk (20)
70.89: Si Woo Kim (18)
70.90: Kevin Tway (10)
70.92: Andrew Landry (12)
71.00: Ryan Palmer (20)
Min. No. of Rounds = 10
Only those entered this week are included in table

Champions At TPC San Antonio

Positions Of Last 10 Winners Thru 36 Holes (2011-21)
2021: Jordan Spieth (2nd)
2019: Corey Connors (2nd)
2018: Andrew Landry (3rd)
2017: Kevin Chappell (3rd)
2016: Charley Hoffman (2nd)
2015: Jimmy Walker (1st)
2014: Steven Bowditch (1st)
2013: Martin Laird (15th)
2012: Ben Curtis (1st)
2011: Brendan Steele (T-1st)

TPC San Antonio is a venue where, according to the stats, champions tend to hit the ground running.

• Only one of the Last 10 Winners of this tournament was lower than tied-third after 36 holes (see above table).
• Seven of the Last 10 Winners were no more than two strokes off the pace after two rounds.
• Eight of the Last 10 Winners were no more than three strokes off the pace after 18 holes (and none more than four shots).
• None of the Last 10 Winners were lower than 20th after 18 holes.

Five To Watch

Abraham Ancer: The accurate Mexican enjoyed a solid week in the Match Play event following a low-key start to 2022.

Charley Hoffman: Not in great form but has a remarkable San Antonio history - five-times a podium finisher, including victory in 2016.

Chris Kirk: The 36-year-old from Tennessee has played well this year, has a decent record at the Oaks Course and has a high ranking in a number of relevant Strokes Gained categories.

Hideki Matsuyama: The reigning Masters champ has had a fairly sparse schedule in recent months but has twice tasted victory in his last seven outings. The world number 12 seems to be bubbling up nicely ahead of next week's major defence.

Rory McIlroy: Did not tee-up in last week's Match Play tournament, preferring to use TPC San Antonio as his pre-Masters warm-up event. On his only previous outing here nine years ago finished second.

Latest betting for next week's Masters Tournament

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MC* - Missed Additional 54-Hole Cut

Note: List Contains Leading Reserves

Note: No tournament in 2020 because of lockdown