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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2016

Valero Junior Texas Open named AJGA Most Improved Tournament of the Year

Tournament wins award in first year of Valero Texas Open title sponsorship

The American Junior Golf Association has presented the 2015 Valero Junior Texas Open with the Most Improved Tournament of the Year Award. In 2015, the Valero Texas Open came on board as the title sponsor of the event and helped to provide a PGA TOUR experience for the players.

Each year, the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual hospitality, Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament, charitable giving and volunteer base. Awards are also given to the events with the highest media and social media participation. Finally, the AJGA recognizes the year’s most outstanding golf professional, superintendent and general manager, as well as the most improved event, best new event, best Junior All-Star tournament, best Invitational and overall tournament of the year. Tournament awards for the 2015 season will be presented on-site at the 2016 tournament.

“On behalf of the Valero Texas Open, we are humbled that in our first year as title sponsor of the Valero Junior Texas Open it was selected as the AJGA’s Most Improved Tournament for 2015,” said Valero Texas Open Executive Director Larson Segerdahl. “We made significant strides this past year to elevate the stature of the event -- not the least of which was moving the tournament to TPC San Antonio and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.”

In 2015, the event provided a PGA TOUR tournament feel with a press conference, player lockers, players’ lounge area, pairings reveal party, access to the beautiful TPC San Antonio and JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa facilities which included a pool, tennis courts, workout facilities and several restaurants. In addition, the Boys and Girls Division champions were awarded exemptions into the 2016 Junior PGA Championship.

“The event provided the juniors with a special PGA TOUR experience and we are thrilled to partner with such a historic event as the Valero Texas Open,” said AJGA Senior Regional Director, South Central, Darren Nelson.

With full support from the TPC San Antonio facility and the Valero Texas Open, players, parents and coaches enjoyed a week geared towards offering an experience unlike any other. Local community members came out to support the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant and local charities through the Valero Junior Texas Open Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament.

“Thanks to Valero and our many corporate sponsors, not only were we able to conduct a wonderful tournament, but we were able to further the mission of the Valero Texas Open and use this platform to raise even more funds for worthy charities, including the AJGA’s ACE Grant program and The First Tee of Greater San Antonio,” Segerdahl said.

The event will celebrate its 25th year on the AJGA schedule from July 11-14 in 2016, solidifying itself as an opportunity for local juniors to compete at a high level of competition.

ABOUT AJGA

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-18) of nearly 6,500 members from 49 states and more than 50 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.

TaylorMade-adidas Golf became the AJGA’s National Sponsor in 2016 after more than 25 years of support. Rolex, which is in its fourth decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 600 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson, Justin Thomas, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst, Alison Lee, Lexi Thompson, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel.

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.

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Valero Junior Texas Open Champions, Garett Reband and Chaithra Katamneni.

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