As the 3rd oldest non major tournament on the PGA Tour, the Valero Texas Open has a storied past indeed. Many of the worlds best golfers have played, and won, this event. In Tiger Woods only appearance, he finished T-3 in 1996, the year he came to the PGA Tour.
For the first time in its history, the Valero Texas Open is the event just before The Masters. 19 players in this weeks field are already in at Augusta, and a win for someone note invited is the only way in.
With world #2 Rory McIlroy in prime condition, and only a few shots off the lead, many believe that he'll deliver on Sunday. Others feel that veteran Jim Furyk will make his move.
The buzz in the Media Center, graciously provided by the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau, has been at an all time high. Being part of this event since 1996, I have never had to literally fight for my seat to get my job done. The international press has been tremendous for the event, and it would be great to see more of the Texas Golf Writers Association brethren on site, but most don't only cover golf to make a living.
The leaders are on the way to the #1 tee box, and so is this scribe. I'll post a complete tournament analysis and wrap up later today.
FORE!
Showing posts with label tpc san antonio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tpc san antonio. Show all posts
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Someone Jacked My Blog!
Many of you have asked where my weekly blogs went. Well, according to my tech savy crew, most of the posts from 2012 disappeared into cyber space. We are feverishly working on getting them back, but it's not going to interfere with our coverage of the Valero Texas Open (we hope).
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Another Exciting Valero Texas Open
After 68 holes, it seemed like the win would be up from grabs for at least 3 players, including eventual winner Ben Curtis. At that point, Curtis, and Matt Every were tied for the lead, and John Huh was one back.
Though Huh came close on the finishing holes, none of the birdie attempts found the bottom of the cup.
For Every, a bogey on the par 4 15th (the 69th of the round), dashed his chances at a PGA Tour victory.
At 16 and 17, the final group all had pars, and so it came down to #18, the 72nd of the tournament, to see if Curtis could hold on to the lead.
As Every and Huh could only manage to par the 72nd hole, Curtis sank his putt for a birdie to win by 2 shots.
However, even though the Curtis win is a great story itself, the story of Huh finishing in a tie for 2nd. His first 9 on Thursday he seemed to be out of even making the cut. Yes, that early. He shot a 44 on the back side of the AT&T Oaks course at TPC San Antonio, his first 9. However, he rallied after the turn to a 33 for a total of 77, at that time 14 shots back from Round 1 leader, Matt Every.
Every, as you remember, shot the course record 63 on Thursday, and tied for 2nd.
During a Valero Texas Open tradition, Rudy's on the Range, I am fortunate to lunch with many players, caddies, media, sponsors, and volunteers. This year, I was able to lunch with Curtis' caddy, Ricky Elliot. We discussed how been had been playing lately, and also how he liked the course.
At that point, he had only played 10 holes, and Elliot said "Ben should do well this week. He's strking the ball well, and staying out of trouble." I did, of course ask, do you think he has a chance to win? As any good caddy would say "Well, of course!". Good on you Ricky!
Tony Vaught is an international golf writer based in Texas. He currently serves as Vice President of the Texas Golf Writers Association and has been a special contributor to Golfer’s Guide for over 10 years.
Though Huh came close on the finishing holes, none of the birdie attempts found the bottom of the cup.
For Every, a bogey on the par 4 15th (the 69th of the round), dashed his chances at a PGA Tour victory.
At 16 and 17, the final group all had pars, and so it came down to #18, the 72nd of the tournament, to see if Curtis could hold on to the lead.
As Every and Huh could only manage to par the 72nd hole, Curtis sank his putt for a birdie to win by 2 shots.
However, even though the Curtis win is a great story itself, the story of Huh finishing in a tie for 2nd. His first 9 on Thursday he seemed to be out of even making the cut. Yes, that early. He shot a 44 on the back side of the AT&T Oaks course at TPC San Antonio, his first 9. However, he rallied after the turn to a 33 for a total of 77, at that time 14 shots back from Round 1 leader, Matt Every.
Every, as you remember, shot the course record 63 on Thursday, and tied for 2nd.
During a Valero Texas Open tradition, Rudy's on the Range, I am fortunate to lunch with many players, caddies, media, sponsors, and volunteers. This year, I was able to lunch with Curtis' caddy, Ricky Elliot. We discussed how been had been playing lately, and also how he liked the course.
At that point, he had only played 10 holes, and Elliot said "Ben should do well this week. He's strking the ball well, and staying out of trouble." I did, of course ask, do you think he has a chance to win? As any good caddy would say "Well, of course!". Good on you Ricky!
Tony Vaught is an international golf writer based in Texas. He currently serves as Vice President of the Texas Golf Writers Association and has been a special contributor to Golfer’s Guide for over 10 years.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Valero Texas Open - 54 Holes Summary
Live from the Valero Texas Open --- Ben Curtis holds on to the lead after 54 holes with a score of -9. Matt Every, who shot a course record 63 in the opening round is 3 back, and John Huh, Seung-Yul Noh, and Charlie Wi sit at -4.
From PGA TOUR Media: The third round is now in the books on what was an incredibly difficult day of scoring in which TPC San Antonio played well over par. Ben Curtis started the day with a two-shot lead, shot a 1-over 73 and now leads by three. That’s about as good an example as you’ll find when it comes to showing how tough a course played.
When asked how he felt being in this position going into the final round (shooting +1, but still having a 3 shot lead), Curtis chuckled "It's better than being 3 down."
With all the excitement of watching paint dry, we scribes scurried back to our laptops to get the last remaining words down before calling it a night.
This evening, there is a Valero Texas Open tradition -- a free concert. Robert Earl Keen and Wade Bowen will take to the stage momentarily, however this writer will leave that to "young folk".
After a day of being more "PC" than ever before (that story will come out next week -- stay tuned), a couple of cold Shiner Bock at home on the back porch sounds so inviting right now.
From PGA TOUR Media: The third round is now in the books on what was an incredibly difficult day of scoring in which TPC San Antonio played well over par. Ben Curtis started the day with a two-shot lead, shot a 1-over 73 and now leads by three. That’s about as good an example as you’ll find when it comes to showing how tough a course played.
When asked how he felt being in this position going into the final round (shooting +1, but still having a 3 shot lead), Curtis chuckled "It's better than being 3 down."
With all the excitement of watching paint dry, we scribes scurried back to our laptops to get the last remaining words down before calling it a night.
This evening, there is a Valero Texas Open tradition -- a free concert. Robert Earl Keen and Wade Bowen will take to the stage momentarily, however this writer will leave that to "young folk".
After a day of being more "PC" than ever before (that story will come out next week -- stay tuned), a couple of cold Shiner Bock at home on the back porch sounds so inviting right now.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Couples Wins AT&T by Seven Shots
Fred Couples ran away with the Champions Tour’s AT&T Championship, shooting a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Sunday for a seven-stroke victory — the largest margin on the 50-and-over tour this year.
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Couples opened with rounds of 65 and 62 and finished at 23 under on TPC San Antonio’s Canyons Course. He won for the second time this season and sixth time in two seasons on the tour.
“I haven’t had a seven-shot lead since ‘92 or ‘90 or whenever the heck it was,” said Couples, who teed it up ahead by seven to start the day. “I probably may never ever get another one. It’s a weird feeling, and I was kind of unnerved (on the front side). But once we got to the back nine I played much better and I pulled away to a lead that was plenty.”
Mark Calcavecchia shot a 66 to finish second. Charles Schwab Cup points leader Tom Lehman and John Cook tied for third at 14 under. They also closed with 66s.
The closest anyone came in the final round was four strokes when Calcavecchia holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole, but Couples birdied five of the last eight holes, including the final two. Last year at The Woodlands outside Houston, he also had a seven-stroke victory.
Couples’ 54-hole total of 193 broke the tournament record of 195 set by Mark McNulty in 2005 on the par-71 Oak Hills Country Club course.
Couples earned $270,000, giving him $957,753 in nine starts on the Champions Tour this year. He’s the U.S. captain for The Presidents Cup next month in Australia.
Couples birdied the first three holes to start each of the opening two rounds. On Sunday, he parred the first five holes. His first birdie came on the par-5 sixth, but Calcavecchia matched it to stay six back.
Calcavecchia, second in the Schwab Cup standings, made it a bit interesting. After Couples lipped out a birdie putt from about 5 feet on the seventh, Calcavecchia stuck his tee shot on the par-3 eighth to 10 feet and sank the putt. And his 12-footer on No. 10 cut Couples’ lead to four.
“Even then I knew I was in a battle for second,” Calcavecchia said, “and that’s what I was aiming for.”
Calcavecchia left a birdie putt on the edge on No. 11 from 15 feet, and Couples made his from 8 to get the lead back to five. He holed a 10-footer No. 12 to go to 20 under and six ahead.
“Nos. 11 and 12 are very good driving holes and those were probably two of the best drives I hit all day and I birdied them both,” Couples said. “Unless (Calcavecchia) was going to birdie every hole, the odds were against him catching me.”
It was the final full field on the Champions Tour. The top 30 in the point standings are headed to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Nov. 3-6 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
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Schwab Cup
Money List
Couples opened with rounds of 65 and 62 and finished at 23 under on TPC San Antonio’s Canyons Course. He won for the second time this season and sixth time in two seasons on the tour.
“I haven’t had a seven-shot lead since ‘92 or ‘90 or whenever the heck it was,” said Couples, who teed it up ahead by seven to start the day. “I probably may never ever get another one. It’s a weird feeling, and I was kind of unnerved (on the front side). But once we got to the back nine I played much better and I pulled away to a lead that was plenty.”
Mark Calcavecchia shot a 66 to finish second. Charles Schwab Cup points leader Tom Lehman and John Cook tied for third at 14 under. They also closed with 66s.
The closest anyone came in the final round was four strokes when Calcavecchia holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole, but Couples birdied five of the last eight holes, including the final two. Last year at The Woodlands outside Houston, he also had a seven-stroke victory.
Couples’ 54-hole total of 193 broke the tournament record of 195 set by Mark McNulty in 2005 on the par-71 Oak Hills Country Club course.
Couples earned $270,000, giving him $957,753 in nine starts on the Champions Tour this year. He’s the U.S. captain for The Presidents Cup next month in Australia.
Couples birdied the first three holes to start each of the opening two rounds. On Sunday, he parred the first five holes. His first birdie came on the par-5 sixth, but Calcavecchia matched it to stay six back.
Calcavecchia, second in the Schwab Cup standings, made it a bit interesting. After Couples lipped out a birdie putt from about 5 feet on the seventh, Calcavecchia stuck his tee shot on the par-3 eighth to 10 feet and sank the putt. And his 12-footer on No. 10 cut Couples’ lead to four.
“Even then I knew I was in a battle for second,” Calcavecchia said, “and that’s what I was aiming for.”
Calcavecchia left a birdie putt on the edge on No. 11 from 15 feet, and Couples made his from 8 to get the lead back to five. He holed a 10-footer No. 12 to go to 20 under and six ahead.
“Nos. 11 and 12 are very good driving holes and those were probably two of the best drives I hit all day and I birdied them both,” Couples said. “Unless (Calcavecchia) was going to birdie every hole, the odds were against him catching me.”
It was the final full field on the Champions Tour. The top 30 in the point standings are headed to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Nov. 3-6 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Champions Tour and Former NBA Stars Align in Lone Star State
San Antonio, Texas, October 13, 2011 - As with any typical Pro Am, the field is full of who’s who folk.
For the second day, former NBA legend, Bruce Bowen was teeing it up at the AT&T Championship Pro Am. Bowen, a three time NBA Champion, played today with his old buddy Sean Elliott. Yes, the same Sean Elliott who thrust the once mediocre San Antonio Spurs to their first of (so far) 4 NBA titles.
Why all the talk about the NBA on in a golf article on a golf site? Well, you as you know the NBA is in a downward sprial right now. And, as any good journalist would do, I took an opporunity to talk to Bowen and Elliott about the current NBA situation. Unfortunately, both declined to comment.
Today the duo were playing with Corey Pavin, and a couple of local businessmen, from what I was told. “Lucky for us basketball guys that there are a couple of guys in our group that can play golf.” chuckled Bowen as they came toward the first tee (their fourth hole).
Tomorrow is the start of tournament play, with one of the marquee groupings teeing off at 11:07am; Tom Watson, Fred Couples, and Tom Lehman. So, those of you in the San Antonio area, make sure you take off early for the weekend and head out to TPC San Antonio and catch some of the excitement of the Champions Tour.
For the second day, former NBA legend, Bruce Bowen was teeing it up at the AT&T Championship Pro Am. Bowen, a three time NBA Champion, played today with his old buddy Sean Elliott. Yes, the same Sean Elliott who thrust the once mediocre San Antonio Spurs to their first of (so far) 4 NBA titles.
Why all the talk about the NBA on in a golf article on a golf site? Well, you as you know the NBA is in a downward sprial right now. And, as any good journalist would do, I took an opporunity to talk to Bowen and Elliott about the current NBA situation. Unfortunately, both declined to comment.
Today the duo were playing with Corey Pavin, and a couple of local businessmen, from what I was told. “Lucky for us basketball guys that there are a couple of guys in our group that can play golf.” chuckled Bowen as they came toward the first tee (their fourth hole).
Tomorrow is the start of tournament play, with one of the marquee groupings teeing off at 11:07am; Tom Watson, Fred Couples, and Tom Lehman. So, those of you in the San Antonio area, make sure you take off early for the weekend and head out to TPC San Antonio and catch some of the excitement of the Champions Tour.
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