With the first Major of the year, The Masters, only one week away, the Valero Texas Open offers not only a chance for players who are qualified to work on their game but also the final opportunity for those not yet in the field to claim a place.
With that in mind, despite an eye-catching prize purse, for many golfers, the financial rewards on offer may not be the greatest incentive at TPC San Antonio.
Nevertheless, players will be competing for a share of a $9.2m prize money payout, which is a $300,000 increase on a year ago, when Corey Conners won the title for a second time by one shot over Sam Stevens.
Back then, the Canadian won $1.602m, but this week’s winner will earn $1.656m as well as 500 FedEx Cup points. There are also a projected 55-59 Official World Golf Ranking Points available to the winner.
For most players, though, next week’s Major will loom large, and arguably the biggest prize is a place at Augusta National for those not yet qualified.
For anyone who hasn't already booked a spot in the field, a win will secure it, while any player currently outside the top 50 looking for a last-minute invite can get one by finishing above that cut-off by Sunday evening.
That, and the other incentives, mean that the stakes could barely be higher with The Masters just around the corner.
Below is the prize money payout for the Valero Texas Open.
Valero Texas Open Prize Money Payout
Who Are The Star Names In The Valero Texas Open?
The tournament is not one of the PGA Tour's lucrative signature events, but its proximity to The Masters means there are some big names in the field.
Four of the world’s top 10 will be in action this week, headlined by four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy.
The 34-year-old put this event in his diary as part of a tactic to fill his schedule in the build-up to next week’s event as he once again goes in pursuit of his first Green Jacket and a career Grand Slam.
It’s been a case of steady progress for McIlroy on the PGA Tour so far this season. After a T66 at February’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he followed that up with a sequence of T24, T21, T21 and T19 in the four subsequent tournaments.
A win would be the ideal confidence boost for next week, but at the very least, McIlroy will be hoping for another sign of progress before his 16th Masters start. Even if it’s not to be this week, McIlroy will be able to take comfort from the fact that, two years ago, he missed the cut at the tournament before finishing runner-up at Augusta National the week after.
The three others players in the top 10 in the field are Open champion Brian Harman, Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa.
In Aberg’s case, his rise has been meteoric having only turned professional last June. The Swede has yet to compete at a Major and he continues his preparations for next week, where he will attempt to become the first player in the men’s game to win The Masters on debut since Fuzzy Zoeller 45 years ago.
Other notable names in the field include defending champion Corey Conners, 2022 winner JJ Spaun, Jordan Spieth, who won the tournament in 2021, and 2010 victor Adam Scott.
Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa, Tom Kim and Rickie Fowler are other big names in the field.
Is Jordan Spieth Playing In The Valero Texas Open?
Jordan Spieth is one of the biggest names in the field for the Valero Texas Open. The three-time Major winner is making his first start since missing the cut at the Valspar Championship and is looking for his first PGA Tour victory since winning a thriller at the 2022 RBC Heritage.
Can You Play TPC San Antonio?
TPC San Antonio is private, so the opportunities to play it are limited. One way is to become a TPC Network Club member, while another is to play as a guest of the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa.
