We are now at the beginning of April. This means the Masters, golf’s first major, is just around the corner. However, before golf’s elite tee off at Augusta, many of the best golfers on the PGA Tour will compete at the 2026 Valero Texas Open in San Antonio on Easter weekend.
One golfer who will not be in San Antonio is world number eight Collin Morikawa. He is out with a back injury he suffered at the Players Championship last month. Here are three golfers who we do like.
Charley Hoffman
The native of San Diego, California has been very competitive at the Valero Texas Open in the past. Hoffman was victorious in 2016 where he beat Patrick Reed by a stroke. He also finished second to Brendan Steele of Idyllwild, California in 2011, second to Canadian Corey Conners of Listowel, Ontario in 2019, and second to three-time major champion Jordan Spieth of Dallas, Texas in 2021. Hoffman is a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, and even though he has not won since 2016, his performance at the 2024 Waste Management Phoenix Open (where he reached a playoff before losing to Nick Taylor) cannot be overlooked.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju
If a Canadian was going to be picked this week, many would have thought it would have been two-time Valero Texas Open champion Corey Conners. However, Conners is not in the field this week and the hot Canadian is rookie Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Yellamaraju was fifth at the Players and sixth at the Houston Open.
Alex Noren
The world number 19 is still looking for his first top 10 finish in 2026. However, he is getting high praise for his wedge play and iron play as of late, which could benefit him in San Antonio this week.
