Valero Texas Open preview: A surfeit of former champions

Just how greedy is Steve Flesch? Two wins in two months should be more than enough for most golfers, unless they’re you-know-who. He’s comfortably in the top 30 on the money list with all its attendant playing privileges next year, although now that Tour winners get a berth in the Masters anyway that lure has dimmed.

But Flesch has proved himself more than adept at picking off these second tier events and there’s no reason on paper why he shouldn’t bag a third at San Antonio this week. He has the kind of all round game this course seems to favour and he was particularly sharp at Turning Stone two weeks ago with his iron play and putting. Three of last year’s top four ranked first for greens in regulation and, on a course where birdies will undoubtedly rain, a hot putter is pretty much de rigueur.

This week’s lineup actually has the potential for a bit of a free-for-all. For a start, there are more former champions than you can shake a stick at and one of them, 2003 winner Tommy Armour III, is packing some highly creditable all-round stats at present. Although he missed the cut last week, he dd manage 5th to Flesch the week before.

Then there’s two-time winner Justin Leonard, who has shown the odd sign of getting back to his glory days. Bart Bryant might recall enough of his 2004 win to double up, although of the three his current form is the poorest. It’s not as bad though as that of 2005 winner Robert Gamez or defending champion Eric Axley. Normally I’d rule them out, but they both really need the money to stay in the game, which should aid their concentration this week.

And if we are talking greedy, there’s last week’s winner Chad Campbell, who has a couple of top 20s on this course and whose stats last week, including first for finding greens and sixth for putting, would suit this course to a “T".

There’s also some money behind Heath Slocum, although his performance isn’t as good as the start of the season and his short game stats do not flatter. The rookie Anthony Kim is a hot fourth favourite despite struggling to repeat his mid-season success. His second here last year obviously impresses the punters. But keep an eye also on some of last week’s hot contenders like Johnson Wagner, who significantly improved his putting.

And finally the odd name or six from the ‘I really, really need the money’ department: Alex Cejka, just north of the safety zone after his eighth place last week, Steve Lowery, whose big weakness is accuracy off the tee, but was 8th here two years ago, and Jesper Parnevik, languishing 13 places outside the comfort zone. Mind you, looking at his performance last week I can see why. Even though he managed to place 17th, his putting was dire.