What a difference a course makes. Prior to the 2010 playing of the Valero Texas Open, the tournament moved from the LaCantera Resort to TPC San Antonio’s AT&T Oaks course. LaCantera was a haven for low scores. Tommy Armour set the PGA Tour’s 72-hole aggregate scoing record there with a 254 in 2003. TPC San Antonio has been anything but accommodating. The average winning score since 2010 is 276.75, more than 13 strokes higher than the 263 average at the par-70 LaCantera from 2006-2009. Martin Laird (pictured) won a year ago with a final-round 63 that tied the course record. From 2002 to 2009 there were 29 rounds of 62 or lower at LaCantera. TPC San Antonio ranked as the fifth hardest par-72 course on tour in 2013, after being the second toughest in 2011 and 2012. The fairways and greens have been among the hardest to hit each of the four years it has been used on Tour.
TPC San Antonio’s statistical ranking on Tour
Year
Scoring
Rank
Rank among par-72s
Accuracy (rank)
GIR (rank)
2013
72.74
15
5
56.34% (13)
59.52% (7)
2012
73.99
4
2
53.11 (9)
55.26 (4)
2011
73.66
7
2
51.65 (5)
56.32 (4)
2010
72.35
17
9
55.02 (6)
59.74 (7)
At 7,435 yards TPC San Antonio is so long that even the bombers have trouble keeping up. In the PGA Tour’s “Going for the Green” statistic – the number of times a players tries to reach the green in two on a par-5 or from the tee on a par-4 if it is a viable option – players made the attempt only 32 percent of the time. They were successful less than 12 percent of the time, the lowest figure on Tour in 2013. The course ranked second the previous three years. The par-5 holes were the hardest on Tour in 2011, second-hardest in 2012 and ranked fourth last year.
Going for the green at TPC San Antonio
Year
Going for the green (rank)
Success rate (rank)
Par-5 scoring (rank)
2013
32.49% (4)
11.86 (1)
4.88 (4)
2012
29.94 (2)
11.49 (2)
4.96 (2)
2011
36.45 (6)
12.34 (2)
4.94 (1)
2010
30.23 (4)
12.65 (2)
4.87 (3)
Laird, who beat Rory McIlroy by two strokes after making birdie on his last three holes, took more chances in 2013 than any other player in the field, trying for the green 60 percent of the time when it was a viable option. He only found the putting surface 8.33 percent of the time, which was actually lower than the field average, but the gambling paid off in the long run with the victory. Interestingly, in 2014, Laird’s success rate when trying for the green leads the Tour (33 for 63, 52.68 percent).
PGA Tour leaders in Going for the Green – Hit Green Percentage (*in the Valero field)
Player
Going for the Green Success Pct.
Successes
Attempts
*Martin Laird
52.38%
33
63
*Charlie Beljan
44.07
26
59
*Danny Lee
42.86
21
49
Robert Garrigus
39.08
34
87
*Briny Baird
38.64
17
44
Laird, however, was not on his game at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Playing his first tournament since the birth of his son, Jack, earlier this month, Laird finished last among those who made the cut. Of those who finished in the top-10 at the API, only six are in the field at San Antonio.
Top finishers at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the Valero field
Player
API finish
Valero Texas Open history
Jason Kokrak
4
Two starts, T-15 in 2013
Erik Compton
T-5
One start, WD in 2012
Ryo Ishikawa
T-8
Making his tournament debut
Freddie Jacobson
T-10
Seven starts, Second in 2010, 3 top-10s
Sean O’Hair
T-10
One start, T-58 in 2008
J.B. Holmes
T-10
Three starts, T-11 in 2011, T-13 in 2010
From that list, Freddie Jacobson stands out. In fact, the Swede has never missed the cut at the Valero, no matter where it’s been held, and has never finished worse than T-29.
Freddie Jacobson at the Valero Texas Open
Year
Finish
Scores
2013
T-15
70-74-71-69—284
2012
T-18
68-76-71-72—287
2011
T-5
72-75-67-69—283
2010
2
71-69-65-70—275
2009
T-5
66-66-68-67—267
2007
T-21
66-65-71-69—271
2004
T-29
68-68-64-72—272
Despite his stellar numbers, few eyes will be on Jacobson this week. Phil Mickelson is making his first appearance at San Antonio since a T-47 in 1992. He’s one of several former major champions who are making a rare appearance at the Valero Texas Open
Major champions in the field with less than three Valero Texas Open starts
Player
Majors
Texas Open starts
Last appearance
Phil Mickelson
5
1
T-47 in 1992
Ernie Els
4
1
T-3 in 2010
Jim Furyk
1
2
T-3 in 2013
Retief Goosen
2
1
T-53 in 2013
Padraig Harrington
3
1
T-10 in 2013
Trevor Immelman
1
0
Geoff Ogilvy
1
2
T-23 in 2011
Mike Weir
1
2
MC in 2011
What the Texas Open wouldn’t give to have had that group of players a few years ago. Mickelson and Els are looking at this week as key preparation for the Masters. Some of the others, notably Harrington, Immelman and Weir, are looking to get their game back on track.
One final thought: Once the event moved to TPC San Antonio, previous tournament experience became less important than it is at most events. Three of the last four winners – Adam Scott in 2010, Brendan Steele in 2011 and Ben Curtis in 2012 – were all playing the Texas Open for the first time. Laird was making his third appearance in 2013, but runner-up McIlroy was making his Valero debut. Among those making their first appearance this week are Puerto Rico Open winner Chesson Hadley and Ryo Ishikawa, who is 26th on Tour in the FedEx Cup standings.
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