The Punter's De-Brief: Cool Connors claims second Texas title and heads to Augusta

• Read my US Masters preview here

• Read Dave Tindall's US Masters 10 year trends piece here

• Read Dave Tindall's US Masters each-way piece here

Connors pips Rodgers for final Masters spot

Pre-event 110.0109/1 chance, Patrick Rodgers, who was matched at a low of 2.3211/8, had led the Valero Texas Open by three at the halfway stage but a bogey at the 18th hole on Saturday saw his lead reduced to just a single stroke over the 2019 winner, Corey Connors, and favouritism switched to the Canadian.

Connors, a pre-event 30.029/1 chance, was trading at around 3.185/40 as the third round concluded but he shortened up to below 2/1 overnight and he was a well-backed 2.89/5 chance by the time he teed off in round four and those that backed him didn't have too much to worry about.

Rodgers and Connors both birdied the par five second hole but with so much on the line, Rodgers soon began to falter.

The 30-year-old was in search of his first PGA Tour win in his 235th event and if that wasn't stressful enough, a victory would have also seen him get into the field at this week's US Masters.

After his reasonable start, Rodgers' game started to unravel and he bogeyed four, six and seven to drop away.

Kirk, Ryder miss out, Stevens pushed hard

My 40.039/1 pre-event pick, Chris Kirk, put in a run early on, birdying three-in-a-row form the sixth, but having been matched at a low of 5.04/1, he bogeyed the next three to fall away.

Sam Ryder birdied the three holes Kirk bogeyed to throw his hat into the ring but a bogey at the par three 13th halted his charge and it was pre-event 130.0129/1 shot, Sam Stevens, that pushed Connors the hardest at the end.

Stevens, who had finished tied for third at the Corales Puntacana Championship the week before to get into the field at TPC San Antonio, was matched at a low of 4.57/2 when he produced this bit of magic at the drivable par four 17th.

299 yards 9 feet

Sam Stevens is just one shot off the lead @ValeroTXOpen after an eagle on No. 17. pic.twitter.com/9pihK2AuJB

-- PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 2, 2023

Connors in contention at Masters?

Connors failed to birdie the 17th so a birdie at the par five 18th would have seen Stevens draw alongside the Canadian but he was always under pressure after missing the fairway off the tee and after both men parred the 72nd hole, Connors collected the trophy for a second time.

Matt Kuchar finished nicely to end the week in a tie for third alongside Ryder, two adrift of Connors, and those that backed Rodgers at a low of just 1.11/10 for a top-five finish, got out of jail when he holed out from off the green on the par five 14th for a bogey six before birdying the 15th and 17th to secure fifth.

Connors now heads to Augusta in great heart and trading at 55.054/1 to win the US Masters and he certainly has a chance.

Scottie Scheffler won the WGC Match Play prior to winning the US Masters last year and Connors has Augusta form figures reading MC-46-10-8-6, so he's trending in the right direction.

LIV players gain traction

There's been money for Brooks Koepka in the US Masters market after he held off Sebastian Munoz to win the LIV Golf Invitational Orlando yesterday and former winners, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed also caught the eye there with top-seven finishes.

Rory McIlroy still narrowly heads the market over the defending champ, Scottie Scheffler, with the world number two, Jon Rahm, a fairly weak 11.521/2 chance.

I've previewed the US Masters here and I'll be back later with a look at the outsiders in the line-up with the Find Me a 100 Winner column, as well as a deep dive into the side markets.

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