By: @Ryan_Humphries on Twitter & LineStar Chat

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Tournament & Field 🏆

The PGA Tour heads to TPC San Antonio for the 2026 Valero Texas Open. With The Masters now just one week away, it’s no surprise this field isn’t exactly loaded with star power. We’ve already seen several notable withdrawals, including Collin Morikawa, Nicolai Højgaard, Daniel Berger, and last week’s winner Gary Woodland, among others. Still, this field is a bit stronger than what we’ve typically seen at this event in past years, as a number of top players look to fine-tune their game or make a last push to qualify for Augusta.

In total, nine of the top 25 and 38 of the world’s top 100 ranked golfers will be teeing it up this week. The field will consist of 132 players, and the standard 36-hole cut rule will apply, with the top 65 golfers (plus ties) advancing to the weekend.

With The Masters right around the corner, MLB back in action, March Madness down to the Final Four, and the NBA nearing the playoffs, this is the type of tournament that can easily fly under the radar from a DFS perspective. But if you’re looking to stay sharp and keep building momentum, this is a great week to stay engaged and go chase some PGA wins. Best of luck!

The Course Preview ⛳

TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course)

Par 72 | 7,435 Yards

Greens: Bermuda (Overseeded w/ Poa Trivialis)

Course Difficulty Last 5 Years: 11th, 7th, 17th, 18th, 15th

Cut Line Last 5 Years: -1, +1, E, -1, +2

TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course) has hosted this event annually since 2010 and remains one of the tougher Par 72 setups on TOUR. The course stretches out to 7,435 yards and plays every bit of that length, with a mix of narrow, tree-lined fairways and more exposed driving areas where Texas brush comes into play. It’s an exposed layout overall, meaning wind is almost always a factor and can lead to significant scoring swings depending on the draw. We’ve seen everything from 20-under winning scores in calmer conditions to single-digit under-par finishes when the wind really picks up, like last year when Brian Harman won at nine-under.

This Greg Norman design features four Par 5s, though three of them push close to 600 yards and aren’t automatic birdie opportunities. Driving accuracy tends to fall well below the TOUR average (49.1% in 2025, 11.7% below average), but missing the fairway isn’t always a death sentence given how open certain landing areas can be. While strong off-the-tee play is certainly helpful, it’s not a strict requirement, as several past winners have leaned more heavily on their iron play and putting rather than dominating OTT.

The overseeded greens present another challenge, featuring sharp contours and tricky run-offs that can make both approach play and putting uncomfortable at times. Greens in Regulation rates consistently fall well below TOUR average (56.3% in 2025, 10.1% below average), which puts added pressure on approach play. As a result, players who are dialed in with their irons tend to separate themselves here.

Scrambling tends to be more of a neutral factor, as top finishers have historically gained the bulk of their strokes through ball-striking and timely putting. Getting hot with the putter, particularly from the 5–15 foot range, has been a common trait among winners at this event.

Long iron play will also be tested throughout the week. The course features four Par 3s, two of which stretch well beyond 200 yards, along with five Par 4s that measure over 440 yards. That combination places a premium on approach shots from 175+ yards and reinforces the importance of strong iron play across the board.

All in all, this course rewards precise approach play, solid long iron performance, and the ability to capitalize on limited scoring opportunities while avoiding big mistakes. Ball-strikers who can pair strong iron play with a capable putter should find themselves in contention come Sunday. Let’s head into Masters week on a high note and crush it at the Valero!

Weather & Tee Times ⛅

Click the images above to view the most up-to-date forecasts.

⚖️Weather Verdict: Wind will be a big storyline this week. Thursday starts relatively manageable with sustained winds around 5–15 mph and gusts pushing 20–25 mph in the afternoon. Friday looks a bit tougher, with sustained winds closer to 10–15 mph and gusts reaching 25–30 mph throughout the day. The weekend brings the most volatility, especially on Sunday where sustained winds could climb into the 15–20 mph range with gusts approaching 35–40 mph along with some rain in the mix. If that outlook holds, there’s a real chance of a stoppage in play in the final round.

As it stands now, there doesn’t appear to be a massive wave advantage for the first two rounds, though a case could be made to give the AM/PM wave a slight-to-moderate bump as they should avoid peak wind gusts on both days. With that said, AM/PM wave stacking has some merit, but the PM/AM golfers shouldn’t be downgraded significantly. This is shaping up to be a week where controlling ball flight and limiting mistakes will be critical.

Valero Texas Open Tee Times

Key Stats to Consider 📊

Each key stat is paired with a weighted percentage (based on stat importance) for DFS model purposes.

1. SG: Approach – 25%

2. Par 4 Average – 15%

3. Birdie or Better % – 10%

4. Long Iron Accuracy (175+ Yards) – 10%

5. Par 5 Average – 10%

6. SG: Putting – 10%

7. Good Drive Percentage – 10%

8. Bogey Avoidance – 10%

PGA Tour Stats Page

Valero Texas Open DFS Model Standouts 🏅

Below are the top 25 ranked golfers in both my overall model and my key stats model. Below that are the top 25 leaders in average finishing position over the last five and last ten starts. The players ranked on these lists do not necessarily mean they are the top golfers I’m targeting for this week's event, but many of these guys should no doubt be favorable DFS options.

Overall Model Rank: A golfer’s ranking (within the current field) in my personal DFS model, which weighs all of the key stats listed above in this newsletter, as well as factors like course history, recent form, recent average fantasy scoring results, and odds to win.

Course Fit / Key Stats Rank: Provides a golfer’s overall rank (within the current field) in my "key stats only" model, which considers only the key stats listed in the section above with the specified percentage weights allocated towards each statistic.

Valero Texas Open DFS Cheat Sheet📑

Click the Cheat Sheet above for the higher-quality direct image link

Alternative Cheat Sheet Direct Image Link

That will do it for our PGA preview! Best of luck this week and, once again, feel free to hit me up in the LineStar chat or on Twitter/X @Ryan_Humphries with any questions.