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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2022
Twenty-One Masters Invitees Playing in Valero Texas Open
Group Led by 2015 Masters Champion and VTO Defending Champion
SAN ANTONIO, TX —So far there will be 21 players in the field for next week’s Valero Texas Open who have already qualified to play in the Masters Tournament the week following.
The Valero Texas Open provides the final opportunity to qualify for this year’s Masters Tournament, with the winner earning an invitation if he is not already qualified. In 2019, Corey Conners became the final player added to that year’s Masters field following his victory in San Antonio. A total of 17 players and 23 players competed in the 2019 and 2021 Valero Texas Open respectively who then went on to compete in the year’s first major championship.
This year’s class scheduled to play the next two weeks includes nine previously announced players: Abraham Ancer, Cameron Champ, Corey Conners, Tony Finau, Lucas Glover, Zach Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth.
Those Masters invitees adding their name to the Valero Texas Open field this year include: Garrick Higgo, Harry Higgs, Takumi Kanaya, Si Woo Kim, K.H. Lee, Min Woo Lee, Luke List, Robert MacIntyre, Ryan Palmer, Hudson Swafford, Lee Westwood and Gary Woodland.
Westwood (England) will make his Texas Open debut this year along with several other highly ranked international starts -- Higgo (South Africa), Kanaya (Japan), Min Woo Lee (Australia) and Robert MacIntyre (Scotland).
Woodland, who finished T6 in the event one year ago, makes it back-to-back appearances.
List and Swafford both won earlier this season during the west coast swing. It will be List’s sixth consecutive year in the Alamo City and Swafford’s third start in four years.
PGA TOUR players have until Friday, March 25 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time to commit and can withdraw from the 144-player field at any time.
Several legendary players and Hall of Fame members will be on hand during tournament week to help commemorate the 100th anniversary. Deane Beman (1969 Texas Open Champion), Ben Crenshaw (1973 & 1986 Texas Open Champion), Hale Irwin (1977 Texas Open Champion), Lee Trevino (1980 Texas Open Champion) and Tom Watson (1987 Texas Open Champion) are all scheduled to appear.
Tickets to the Valero Texas Open are now on sale via Ticketmaster and ValeroTexasOpen.com. As is customary, all net proceeds from the event will go to support hundreds of charity organizations throughout South Texas and well beyond.
Given the significance of this year’s historic milestone, tournament officials are planning a variety of celebratory initiatives including the following:
- Valero Texas Open 100th Anniversary Concert presents Jason Aldean and Darius Rucker: The Valero Texas Open will host a one-of-a-kind concert to celebrate the 100th anniversary on Saturday, April 2 with the three-time ACM “Entertainer of the Year,” Aldean and three-time GRAMMY award winner, Rucker. Walker County will kick off the concert following tournament play. All ticket holders attending Saturday’s third round competition will also be able to attend the concert.
- It’s Been A Journey: The True Story of the Oldest Golf Tournament in Texas: Tournament officials are collaborating with award-winning sportswriter and author Kevin Robbins, to tell the story of the Texas Open from its origins to present day. This incredible commemorative volume will be complete and available for purchase the week of the tournament.
- Historical Golf Course Markers: Tribute historical markers have been placed at the golf courses that have hosted the tournament through the years including Brackenridge Park, Willow Springs, Fort Sam Houston, Oak Hills Country Club and La Cantera. The final historical marker will be unveiled at TPC San Antonio the week of the tournament. These historical markers feature the writings of Kevin Robbins highlighting the tournaments contested along with the years and storied champions for each respective course.
- Commemorative Artwork: Graeme Baxter, official artist to some of the world’s most important golf tournaments such as The Ryder Cup, The Open Championship and The Presidents Cup was commissioned to paint a commemorative landscape of the Valero Texas Open‘s finishing hole.
Visit www.ValeroTexasOpen.com for all tournament news, updates, information and to purchase tickets.
ABOUT VALERO
Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries (collectively, Valero), is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products, and sells its products primarily in the United States (U.S.), Canada, the United Kingdom (U.K.), Ireland and Latin America. Valero owns 15 petroleum refineries located in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day. Valero is a joint venture member in Diamond Green Diesel Holdings LLC, which owns two renewable diesel plants located in the U.S. Gulf Coast region with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.2 billion gallons per year, and Valero owns 12 ethanol plants located in the U.S. Mid-Continent region with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.6 billion gallons per year. Valero manages its operations through its Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol segments. Please visit investorvalero.com for more information.
ABOUT VALERO IN THE COMMUNITY
Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries (collectively, Valero), and the Valero Energy Foundation are committed to improving the quality of life in communities where Valero has major operations. In 2023, Valero, its employees and the foundation collectively generated more than $77 million in charitable support through direct/in-kind donations, fundraising and volunteerism. Valero employees logged more than 127,000 volunteer hours in 2023 for hundreds of projects in their communities. Valero provides funding to a variety of nonprofit agencies for programs and services supporting education, basic needs, health care and civic initiatives. Through the overwhelming support of sponsors, the foundation’s signature programs, the Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children, generated more than $23 million raised in 2023 for charities across the United States.
ABOUT THE VALERO TEXAS OPEN
The Valero Texas Open is the sixth-oldest professional tournament in golf worldwide, the third-oldest on the PGA TOUR and the longest held in the same city. In 2022, the tournament celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Its list of champions includes some of the greatest names in golf history: Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Lee Trevino, Nick Price, Justin Leonard, Zach Johnson, Adam Scott, Jimmy Walker, Jordan Spieth and 2019, 2023 champion Corey Conners to name a few.
Since Valero became title sponsor in 2002, the tournament has become a leader in charitable fundraising among PGA TOUR events. The Valero Texas Open, together with its Benefit for Children and Champions fore Charity initiatives, has contributed more than $232 million to hundreds of worthy charities since inception. Please visit www.ValeroTexasOpen.com for more information.
Media Contacts
Stephanie Sage
Valero Texas Open
Director, Marketing & Community Relations
210.345.3839 office
Lee Patterson
Valero Texas Open
Director, Media Relations
704.913.1088 mobile
