Valero Texas Open: Picks, Predictions and Odds

The golf world has Masters fever with the first major of the year just a week away, and the one remaining place among the Augusta field will be filled by any player who wins this week’s Valero Texas Open who has yet to secure his place.

Consequently, we can anticipate a keenly contested four days at TPC San Antonio, where Akshay Bhatia, one of the happy contingent who know they will be battling it out for the Green Jacket, will defend the title he claimed in a playoff success over Denny McCarthy 12 months ago.

While many of the game’s leading lights are putting their feet up or heading to Augusta National to finalise their preparations, World number five Ludvig Aberg is heading to Texas to fine-tune his game as he looks to go one better than the runners-up spot he earned in his first Masters last year.

However, he will face stiff competition from the defending champion, whose confidence will have been boosted by third spot last time out at the Players Championship, and two-time winner Corey Conners, who has posted some strong recent results.

Valero Texas Open betting picks and predictions

Corey Conners to win (+1700)

Understandably with the Masters on the horizon, there will not be a stellar field assembled at TPC San Antonio this week but one player who should make a big impression is two-time Valero Texas Open winner Corey Conners.

The Canadian has the straight-hitting and putting capabilities to usually enjoy a visit to a course where, alongside last year’s two playoff contestants Bhatia and McCarthy, he holds the 72-hole course record at this desert track.

Conners tasted victory here in 2019 and 2023 and his recent form suggests we could be treated to another strong display as he has recently been knocking on the door.

His efforts in recent months have seen him finish third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, sixth at the Players Championship and eighth at the Valspar Championship in his most recent outing, and while he is already in the Masters field, he should be going all out to head to Georgia in great form after producing three top-ten finishes at the iconic venue.

Sam Stevens to win (+5000)

Sam Stevens would love to make his Masters debut next week and although the only way he can secure an invite is by winning at San Antonio, such an occurrence is not beyond the realms of possibility.

He came close to claiming his first PGA Tour success when he finished a shot behind Harris English at January’s Farmers Insurance Open and while he fell away a bit after that, his 18th at last week’s Houston Open, which included two rounds of 65, should have provided a welcome confidence boost.

The man from Fort Worth will be playing in his home state this week and will have decent memories of San Antonio, having finished second on his debut behind Conners two years ago when he gave the winner an eight-shot first-round start and closed with an impressive 66 which was not quite enough.

Stevens built on that experience to finish a creditable 14th last year and he has a decent chance of claiming that maiden PGA Tour victory.

Lee Hodges to win (+6000)

Lee Hodges is another player looking for an invite to the party and his 11th place at the Houston Open could be timely.

That performance at Memorial Park came after a six-week absence as he dealt with a rib injury which knocked him off his stride following 10th place at the Sony Open and ninth at the Farmers Insurance, showings that followed some decent efforts in the fall.

Hodges has missed the cut in two of his three San Antonio appearances but he is worth chancing at a big price after his sixth place in 2023 when he staged a fine recovery following an opening 66.

Last week’s outing may have helped blow away a few cobwebs and he could make a bold bid.

Valero Texas Open outright odds

Ludvig Aberg	+1250
Tommy Fleetwood	+1700
Corey Conners	+1700
Patrick Cantlay	+1900
Hideki Matsuyama	+2200
Akshay Bhatia	+2400
Jordan Spieth	+2700
Keegan Bradley	+3000
Denny McCarthy	+3200
Daniel Berger	+3500

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.