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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2024
Field Notes, April 2, 2024
MASTERS INVITEES: There are 30 players in the field this week that are scheduled to play in next week’s Masters Tournament including: Ludvig Åberg, Eric Cole, Austin Eckroat, Lee Hodges, Nicolai Højgaard, Denny McCarthy, Grayson Murray and Adam Schenk who will be playing in their first Masters Tournament. Other players currently scheduled to compete here who are Masters Tournament Invitees are: Byeong Hun An, Corey Conners, Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Fox, Lucas Glover, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Ryo Hisatsune, Max Homa, Zach Johnson, Tom Kim, Hideki Matsuyama, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Thorbjørn Olesen, Erik van Rooyen, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, and Camilo Villegas. If the winner this week is not already in the Masters, he will receive the final invitation.
FIRST TIMERS: Players currently among the top 25 in the world who are playing the Valero Texas Open for the first time are: No. 11 Matt Fitzpatrick, No. 12 Tommy Fleetwood, No. 16 Collin Morikawa, No. 21 Tom Kim. World No. 9 Ludvig Åberg will be playing here for the first time as a pro. He missed the cut in 2002 when he played as an amateur.
TEXANS IN THE FIELD: There are 23 players in the field who either live or were born in the state.
PGA TOUR WINNERS PAST TWO YEARS: A total of 34 players, who have won in the past two years, are in the field including winners this year— Austin Eckroat (Cognizant Classic), Hideki Matsuyma (Genesis Invitational) Grayson Murray (Sony Open in Hawaii).
TOTAL PGA TOUR WINS: As a whole, the field has accumulated 176 career PGA TOUR victories. Rory McIlroy leads the group with 24 wins followed by Adam Scott (14), Jordan Spieth (13), Zach Johnson (12).
MAJOR CHAMPIONS: There are twelve major championship winners in the field and three of those—Zach Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Jimmy Walker—have also won the VTO.
PAST CHAMPIONS: Along with defending and two-time champion Corey Conners (2019, 2023), those on the past champions list who are back in town are J.J. Spaun (2022), Andrew Landry (2018), Kevin Chappell (2017), Charley Hoffman (2016), Jimmy Walker (2015), Martin Laird (2013), and Zach Johnson (2008, 2009).
MONDAY QUALIFIERS: The final four spots in the field were up for grabs at the Fair Oaks Ranch and Country Club. Here is who earned a spot in the 156-player field: Alex Welch, League City, TX (66), Adam Long, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (67), Tom Adrounie, Monteverde, FL (67), Peter Kuest, American Fork, UT (68).
RYDER CUP CAPTAINS Three players in the field have been Ryder Cup Captains. Luke Donald (2023), Padraig Harrington (2021) are past European team captains. Zach Johnson was Captain for the U.S. team in 2023.
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.
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
