This article is part of our FantasyDraft PGA series.
Texas Open
San Antonio, Texas
TPC San Antonio - Par 72 - 7,435 yards
Field - 156 entrants
Purse - $6.2M
The Preview
It feels somewhat like a bye week on the PGA Tour with just one top-20 player (Sergio Garcia) in the Official World Golf Ranking making their way to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open, lending a plethora of lesser notable names with the heightened chance to add FedExCup points to their 2017-18 portfolios. Every former champion since the tournament moved to TPC San Antonio in 2010 will be in the field except for Ben Curtis, which includes a range in caliber from Adam Scott to Steven Bowditch. As for key statistics when it comes to finding success on this par-72 layout, a combination of driving distance and accuracy off the tee will be essential. TPC San Antonio has been one of the more difficult venues on Tour in recent years, placing an emphasis on scrambling and putting as well due to the slightly deflated GIR rates. As per usual in Texas, wind should be a factor throughout the tournament with a steady breeze likely reaching 10-15mph each day.
Past Champions
2017 - Kevin Chappell
2016 - Charley Hoffman
2015 - Jimmy Walker
2014 - Steven Bowditch
2013 - Martin Laird
2012 - Ben Curtis
2011 - Brendan Steele
2010 - Adam Scott
FantasyDraft Value Picks - based on $100,000 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Charley Hoffman - $16,200
Prior to a T40 at last year's edition of this event, the 2016 Valero Texas Open champion had finished no worse than T13 in seven consecutive appearances at TPC San Antonio. Hoffman is known to excel in the state of Texas, while the 41-year-old has also notched four top-25s in his last six starts.
Luke List - $15,800
List has risen to 11th in the FedExCup standings and a career-best 53rd in the OWGR after his T3 at last week's RBC Heritage, which marked his eighth top-30 finish in nine starts dating back to the Farmers Insurance Open in late January. He ranks sixth on Tour in SG: Tee-to-Green, 10th in SG: Off-the-Tee, 16th in birdie average and 17th in SG: Around-the-Green.
Brendan Steele - $15,000
The 2011 Texas Open champion has finished top-15 in four of seven appearances at the event, while he currently ranks fifth in SG: OTT, eighth in GIR percentage, eighth in birdie average and 15th in SG: T2G. Steele missed his first cut of the entire season during his previous start at the Masters, but he remains inside of the top-15 in the FedExCup standings thanks to six top-20s and a win already this season.
Glue Guys
Zach Johnson - $14,500
Johnson won the event twice before its relocation to TPC San Antonio in 2010, but he's posted a trio of top-30s at this venue throughout the past four years. He's not imposing off the tee, but is accurate enough to produce while ranking 31st in SG: T2G, 21st in birdie average, third in proximity and 28th in scrambling. Johnson has not missed a cut all season and that trend should continue against such a weak field.
Martin Laird - $14,200
Yet another former champion makes our list of targets, as Laird ranks 29th in total driving, sixth in SG: Around-the-Green, 47th in SG: Putting and 51st in SG: T2G. He placed T18 at TPC San Antonio in 2017 and has posted results of T32-T26-MC-T9-T9 in his last five starts.
Kevin Streelman - $14,100
Streelman is four of four in cuts made and finished top-15 during each of his first two appearances at TPC San Antonio in 2011 and 2012. He's missed just one cut in his past 15 starts, most recently adding a T7 at last week's RBC Heritage where he ranked ninth in SG: Putting. This season Streelman ranks 11th in total driving, 18th in SG: T2G and fourth in scrambling.
Bargain Bin
Dylan Frittelli - $13,400
Frittelli will be making his Valero Texas Open debut this week, but the South African is familiar with the Texan style of golf after playing collegiately as a Longhorn at UT-Austin. The 51st-ranked player in the OWGR doesn't enter with very inspiring recent form after finishes of T32-MC-MC in his past three starts, but he led the field in SG: Off-the-Tee and ranked 10th in SG: T2G at Harbour Town last week.
Abraham Ancer - $12,600
Ancer is on a roll with finishes of T8-T13-T16 in his last three starts, while the McAllen, Texas native ranks 24th on Tour in scrambling and 47th in one-putt percentage. He made the cut during his Texas Open debut in 2016 and owns five top-25s this season.
Nate Lashley - $11,800
The rookie followed up a T28 at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship with a T18 at the Houston Open -- his best career finish on the PGA Tour. Lashley ranked third in scrambling on the Web.com Tour in 2017 and is currently 29th at the next nevel in SG: Around-the-Green, 10th in putting from 4-8 feet and 37th in putting from inside 10 feet.
