Valero Texas Open Golf Betting Tips 2022
After three sensational PGA Tour victories in six weeks, Scottie Scheffler heads into next week’s Masters as the new world No.1 and a 16/1 chance to bag his first Major.
By outclassing the outgunned Kevin Kisner in Sunday’s Match Play final, the 20/1 winner gave Golf Monthly readers timely ammunition for Augusta National - and hats off too to runner-up Kisner, a 60/1 selection who boosted the pot at 15/1 place-money.
Meanwhile two former world No.1s, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, are out to re-light the flame that took them to that pinnacle when they line up for the 100th anniversary of the Texas Open in San Antonio.
In a change of routine, McIlroy, who doesn’t normally play the week before the Masters, pays his first visit since 2013 hoping for a performance that will send him to Augusta in the frame of mind to capture at long last the Major that will elevate him to the elite status of Grand Slam winner. For the most part this year Rory has been unconvincing, to say the least, but that has not stopped the bookmakers making him a warm favourite to beat a field where he’s the only world’s top-ten player taking part. Back in 2013 he finished runner-up to expatriate Scot Martin Laird before going on to disappoint at Augusta. Will class tell or is his mind going to wander to next week? On a going week, he could lap this opposition but it’s a big “if” these days.
Having seen one Dallas man, Scheffler, beat the best at the Match Play, local hero Spieth bids to defend his State Open against the backdrop of a so-far unsatisfactory 2022, the one ray of sunshine coming with second place at Pebble Beach. When he beat course specialist Charley Hoffman by two last year, it ended a four-year drought and set him up for a big week at Augusta where he finished third to Hideki Matsuyama. He will be looking for similar inspiration this week as there was little to admire at Austin last week.
This is Matsuyama’s first start since pulling out of the Players Championship with a lingering back injury. Will the Masters champion be going flat out or just warming up quietly? And what do we make of Bryson DeChambeau’s comeback? The Mad Scientist failed to win any of his group games at the Match Play. Niggling wrist and hip injuries have reduced him to just one full 72-hole appearance this stop-start year. He was struggling to find his rhythm last week and will surely not be sharp enough to contend even in this week’s less-than-stellar company.
There’s a question mark too over the other obvious contender Corey Conners whose only win came at San Antonio three years ago. After seven strenuous rounds at Austin, where he picked up a tidy $850,000 for third money in the Match Play, will the Canadian have enough left in the tank to do himself justice?
Spieth’s exit from the Match Play on Friday may have been a blessing in disguise as he’ll be fresh for San Antonio where he fired 18 under last year. I like him best of the big four in the betting but there’s obvious scope for someone to come out of left field and beat them all.
It’s going to be hot, around 30C, and windy on Friday so we want someone who will keep the ball on the cut-and-prepared at this 7435-yard par 72, good iron players like Chris Kirk and Keegan Bradley.
Four-time tour winner Kirk has strong course form, three top-eights since 2016, and has impressed this campaign with seventh at Honda, eighth at Bay Hill and 14th at Phoenix. True, it’s a long time since the willowy Georgian won but he should give us a good each-way run at a working man’s price.
Bradley, a PGA champion back in the day, seems to have been around forever yet is still only 35. He caught the eye with fifth at Sawgrass which followed good showings at Waialae and Bay Hill. Again, he hasn’t won in a while but he looks less jumpy this year.
Also worth an interest is South Korean star Si Woo Kim who was fourth to Conners at this track in 2019 - there was no Texas Open in 2020 - and posted a brace of 11th places at the American Express and Torrey Pines. Not the most consistent but a real class act when in the mood.
Abraham Ancer did well last week and is another for the short list while new names to watch out for are Sunday’s talented Corales winner Chad Ramey and Valspar runner-up Davis Riley, who so nearly sprang a big surprise in Florida two weekends ago.
And though Hoffman’s 2022 CV (67-71-missed cut-missed cut) reads as badly as England’s Test batting averages and he has posted only one top-ten since chasing home Spieth here a year ago, he boasts such compelling course form (a win and two seconds) that he could well shine at fancy odds.
Valero Texas Open Golf Betting Tips 2022
- 1.5pts each-way Chris Kirk at 33/1
- 1pt each-way Keegan Bradley at 40/1
- 1pt each-way Jordan Spieth at 14/1
- 1pt each-way Si Woo Kim at 35/1
- 0.5pt each-way Charley Hoffman at 70/1
All prices with Bet365 - 1/4 odds and five places
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