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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2025
2025 Valero Texas Open Field Update
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Tournament officials announced today the additions of two collegiate players, who have accepted sponsor exemptions to compete in the Valero Texas Open next week.
San Antonio's historical PGA TOUR event returns this spring to TPC San Antonio's The Oaks course for the 16th year, March 31-April 6, a week preceding the Masters Tournament.
Ben James, a junior and two-time first-team All-America at the University of Virginia, was medalist in the Valero Texas Collegiate this past fall, earning a spot in the Valero Texas Open. The 21-year-old overcame a five-shot deficit entering the third and final round to win at TPC San Antonio's Oaks Course. He shot a 6-under, 66 and won individual honors with a birdie on the first playoff hole. James is currently the No. 3 ranked amateur in the world and will be playing his seventh PGA TOUR event. His best finish has been a T44 in last year's Rocket Classic.
Preston Summerhays, a senior at Arizona State, is the 10th ranked amateur in the world. He comes from a family with a long history in golf, including his Uncle Daniel, who won on the Korn Ferry Tour and Great Uncle Bruce, a past winner on the PGA TOUR Champions. Summerhays, a two-time All-America, has four starts in both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR, making one cut.
A handful of players who competed in the Valero Texas Open as amateurs in the past ten years are currently enjoying successful professional careers on either the PGA TOUR or Korn Ferry Tour. They include: Ludvig Åberg, a two-time PGA TOUR winner and Ryder Cup participant, who played in the VTO in 2022 while attending Texas Tech; Sam Bennett, who turned pro at the end of 2023 and had two third place finishes during his Korn Ferry Tour debut in 2024 after attending Texas A&M and playing the VTO in 2021; Sam Burns, who played in San Antonio in 2015 while at LSU, and has five wins on the PGA TOUR; Austin Eckroat, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR in 2024, who played here in 2021 while attending Oklahoma State; San Antonio's Mac Meissner, who recorded three top ten finishes on TOUR in 2024 and played here in 2021 while at SMU.
They all missed the cut as amateurs when they played the VTO. However, in 2024, as eligible TOUR players, Meissner was T10, Aberg finished T14 and Eckroat T33. Burns was T23 (2019).
Currently, there are eight players among the top 16 in the world who are committed- Collin Morikawa (No. 4), Åberg (No. 5), Hideki Matsuyama (No. 6), Russell Henley (No. 7), Tommy Fleetwood (No. 10), Keegan Bradley (No. 14), Patrick Cantlay (No. 15) and Maverick McNealy (No. 16).
Past champions of the Valero Texas Open returning are Akshay Bhatia (2024), Corey Conners (2019, 2023), Jordan Spieth (2021), Charley Hoffman (2016), Jimmy Walker (2015), Martin Laird (2013) and Zach Johnson (2008, 2009).
2018 U.S Open and FedExCup Champion Justin Rose is scheduled to play in the VTO for the first time since 2006 and will be making his first-ever start at TPC San Antonio this spring. Nine-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar, six-time winner Max Homa, six-time TOUR winner Rickie Fowler, five-time winner Sam Burns, four-time TOUR champions Daniel Berger and Gary Woodland will all return to compete in the tournament as well.
Players currently in the VTO field invited to the 2025 Masters (20): Åberg, Bhatia, Bradley, Burns, Cantlay, Conners, Fleetwood, Brian Harman, Henley, Tom Hoge, Homa, Johnson, Chris Kirk, Matsuyama, Denny McCarthy, McNealy, Morikawa, Poston, Rose, Spieth.
Major Champions in the field (11): Bradley (PGA), Harman (The Open), Johnson (Masters, The Open), Matsuyama (Masters), Francesco Molinari (The Open), Morikawa (The Open, PGA), Rose (U.S. Open), Webb Simpson (U.S. Open), Spieth (Masters, U.S. Open), Walker (PGA), Woodland (U.S Open).
PGA TOUR players have until Friday, March 28 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time to commit and can withdraw at any time.
Additional News and Notes:
- Tickets Currently on Sale: Tickets to the Valero Texas Open are on sale via www.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.
- Night to Honor Our Heroes presented by USAA: This year’s program will feature World Golf Hall of Fame member Jack Nicklaus.
“I greatly appreciate the Valero Texas Open for inviting me to be a part of their event and pay tribute to those who have served and sacrificed for our country. I never had the opportunity to serve our country, but I have always had an enormous respect, admiration and heartfelt appreciation for those who have,” Nicklaus said.The Valero Texas Open’s long-standing tradition of celebrating “Military City, USA” continues this year as active military, wounded veterans, and corporate supporters gather Friday night of tournament week on April 4 for this annual military appreciation banquet.
- Champions fore Charity: Champions fore Charity is a fundraising program that provides participating charities and schools the opportunity to generate contributions through the Valero Texas Open. The Champions fore Charity program distributed over $17.7M to charities, a part of the record-breaking $24 million raised by the tournament in 2024, bringing the grand total to $256 million in charitable giving from Valero Texas Open tournament proceeds.
The 2025 fundraising campaign is presently underway and will conclude April 14. Over 230 participating charities and school programs have already raised over $16.78 million to date. At the conclusion of the fundraiser, the charities will also receive several financial incentives including a 7% matching gift provided by the Valero Texas Open. To learn more and donate to your favorite charity and/or school visit, www.championsforecharity.com
- Volunteer Opportunities: The Valero Texas Open utilizes approximately 2,100 volunteers across twenty-four committees to assist in staging and managing the tournament through its Volunteer Program presented by Frost Bank. Nearly 700 Valero employees are part of this volunteer effort. Due to popular demand and community support, volunteer shifts are all full and registration for this year’s tournament is now closed.
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 produces low-carbon fuels including renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with a production capacity of approximately 1.2 billion gallons per year in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. See our annual report on Form 10-K for more information on SAF. Valero also owns 12 ethanol plants located in the U.S. Mid-Continent region with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.7 billion gallons per year. Valero manages its operations through its Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol segments. Please visit valero.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. Valero employees logged more than 133,000 volunteer hours in 2024 for hundreds of community projects. Valero funds various nonprofit agencies for programs and services supporting education, basic needs, health care, and civic initiatives. Through the overwhelming support of business partners, sponsors, and donors, the Valero Texas Open and the Benefit for Children generated more than $24 million in 2024 for charities in 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 2024 champion Akshay Bhatia 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 $256 million to hundreds of worthy charities since inception. Please visit www.ValeroTexasOpen.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and X (@ValeroTXOpen) 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
