Dan Roebuck’s PGA Tour preview – Valero Texas Open

Rory McIlroy’s decision to add this week’s Valero Texas Open to his schedule in order to ‘play competitive golf’ not only raised a few eyebrows amongst pundits, but also forced odds compilers to raise the price about every other golfer who will tee up at the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio.

The Ulsterman, who tinkered with a new set of wedges at last week’s Shell Houston Open but still failed to find the greens with any consistency, has struggled all year; however, he makes the market as a single-figure odds favourite at 8/1. No serious form student can possibly back him at cramped odds at the moment, especially on a layout he has not played competitively before, so the advice is to look elsewhere.

In three previous renewals at this par-72 track that stretches out for 7,435 yards, scrambling has been key and two of our three picks rank in the top ten of that statistical category in 2013.

Fredrick Jacobson is one of the best on and around the greens and, with form figures of 2-5-18 at this week’s layout not to mention three recent top tens in his last five starts, he just must be backed at 25/1.

Cameron Tringale (33/1) is another highly ranked scrambler who has a similar profile to Jacobson in terms of course and current form, with eighth and fifth on his last two San Antonio visits and third in Tampa just last month.

The final pick was a toss up between Henrik Stenson and Brendan Steele, but as the Swede hasn’t played the Oak Course competitively, it’s the American who gets the nod. Steele is a classic ‘horses for courses’ performer and having won this event two yeas ago before rewarding each-way backers last year, he has to be included on the staking plan at 50/1.

My three off the tee – Jacobson, Tringale and Steele.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.