The PGA Tour heads to the Lone Star State this week for the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio. Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, and Tony Finau headline the field as most of the game's biggest names are taking the event off in preparation for next week's Masters.
TPC San Antonio's AT&T Oaks Course is a 7,435-yard par 72 designed by Greg Norman. Like most Norman tracks, players will be tested off the tee for both distance and accuracy, which is why four of the last five Texas Open winners ranked 36th or better in driving distance the year they won.
With that in mind, here are the best bets for this week's action:
Outright to win
Abraham Ancer (33-1)
Ancer currently sits 23rd in strokes gained: off the tee for the season and aside from his start in Mexico, has gained shots with his driver in 12 straight rounds. He's made both cuts in his Texas Open appearances and has played the weekend in three of his last four tournaments.
Being able to handle the potentially windy conditions in Texas will also be key. Golf in Australia often resembles conditions in Texas, and coincidentally, Ancer won the 2018 Australian Open. He also played golf in Texas in junior college and attended Oklahoma University.
Dylan Frittelli (80-1)
Frittelli is coming off a solid T-18 in Punta Cana last week and has made three of his last four PGA Tour cuts. The South African has also gained strokes off the tee in nine of his last 10 starts and gained 4.8 shots off the tee in his T-20 finish at TPC San Antonio last season.
The former Texas Longhorn, who is searching for his first Tour win, should have no issue dealing with the conditions at an event that has a history of producing first-time winners - four of the last eight champions claimed their breakthrough victory here.
Ollie Schniederjans (90-1)
Schniederjans ranked 173rd in strokes gained off the tee last season but seems to have taken a major turn in that category as of late, gaining strokes with the big stick in six straight rounds. He held the lead briefly on Sunday at The Players two weeks ago, indicating his form is there, and has made the cut in both his starts at the Texas Open.
Grayson Murray (200-1)
Murray's 200-1 number is disrespectful, especially for a PGA Tour winner. He played very well last week in Punta Cana with a T-12 result and ranks eighth on Tour in driving distance. Obviously, he possesses massive blowup potential but his T-16 result at the Texas Open last season suggests TPC San Antonio suits his bomb-and-gouge style.
Top Canadian
Adam Svensson (10-1)
As far as Canadians go in the field, no one really stands out above the rest, which makes Svensson an intriguing option at 10-1. He only has to beat Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes, Roger Sloan, and Ben Silverman, and his odds increase drastically if a couple of these players miss the cut. Let's hope he can regain his form from earlier this season.
Tournament matchups
Tony Finau (-110) over Rickie Fowler
Finau has only two top-15 finishes in 2019, whereas Fowler has a win and a runner-up. However, on paper, Finau appears to be a much better fit for TPC San Antonio, as he has length off the tee and owns a third-place finish from 2017. The bet here is against Fowler, who's making his Texas Open debut and is perhaps a little more focused on next week's Masters.
Jordan Spieth (+110) over Matt Kuchar
Taking Spieth is certainly risky, but he shouldn't be a plus-money underdog at a tournament he was the runner-up at in 2015. There's no debate Kuchar is playing well, but he also played seven rounds over five days last week and could be looking for a weekend off before taking on Augusta, in what is likely his best chance at winning a green jacket.
Betting odds courtesy: Bodog
