GOLF
Valero Texas Open Round 2 Friday tee times and pairings
It’s the last PGA tournament ahead of the 2024 Masters, and players are looking to get into a solid position ahead of the weekend cut.
Things are hotting up as thoughts are almost turning towards the Augusta Masters. But we’re not there yet, and we have plenty of interest in the final PGA competition before the next 2024 Major, as players eye a place in the weekend action at the Valero Texas Open.
Valero Texas Open: how things stand
Before we look at Round 2, let’s have quick recap of how things stand.
Akshay Bhatia took a commanding lead in Texas with a stellar performance, carding a remarkable 9-under 63 without dropping a shot. This impressive round gave him a three-shot advantage over the rest of the field, putting him in prime position to claim his second PGA Tour title and earn a spot in his first Masters tournament.
Bhatia’s previous victory came at the Barracuda Championship last summer. Despite being just 22 years old, this was his third appearance at the Valero Open, allowing him to leverage his familiarity with the course. His strong finish, including four birdies in the last five holes, propelled him past early leader Justin Lower.
Brendon Todd also surged into contention, matching Lower’s score to tie for second place. Notably, both Todd and Lower, like Bhatia, are seeking a win to secure a place at the Masters. Max Homa, Denny McCarthy, Tyson Alexander, and Austin Eckroat are tied for fourth place, while Rory McIlroy sits close behind.
Defending champion Corey Conners started his campaign with a solid 2-under 70. Jordan Spieth endured a rollercoaster round, finishing at 1-over par after a string of bogeys followed by two birdies and a double bogey, but he managed to salvage an ace on the par-3 16th hole, showcasing his resilience and skill.
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Valero Texas Open Round 2: what are the tee times and pairings for Friday?
| Tee Time | Players |
|---|---|
| 8:20 a.m. | Luke Donald, Ben Griffin, Matti Schmid |
| 8:31 a.m. | Martin Laird, Aaron Baddeley, Zac Blair |
| 8:42 a.m. | Lanto Griffin, Nate Lashley, Joseph Bramlett |
| 8:53 a.m. | Lee Hodges, Nick Hardy, Kevin Kisner |
| 9:04 a.m. | Adam Svensson, Chez Reavie, Webb Simpson |
| 9:15 a.m. | Camilo Villegas, Stewart Cink, Brendon Todd |
| 9:26 a.m. | Garrick Higgo, Chesson Hadley, Carson Young |
| 9:37 a.m. | Matt NeSmith, Josh Teater, Sam Stevens |
| 9:48 a.m. | Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Callum Tarren, Ben Kohles |
| 9:59 a.m. | Alexander Bjork, Trace Crowe, Tom Whitney |
| 10:10 a.m. | Victor Perez, Norman Xiong, Jorge Campillo |
| 10:21 a.m. | Pierceson Coody, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Ben Willman |
| 10:32 a.m. | Max Greyserman, Ryan McCormick, Tom Adrounie |
| 1:35 p.m. | Andrew Putnam, Jhonattan Vegas, Ryan Moore |
| 1:46 p.m. | Ryan Palmer, Aaron Rai, Roger Sloan |
| 1:57 p.m. | Charley Hoffman, Maverick McNealy, Nicolai Hojgaard |
| 2:08 p.m. | Collin Morikawa, Corey Conners, Max Homa |
| 2:19 p.m. | Brian Harman, Matt Fitzpatrick, Adam Scott |
| 2:30 p.m. | Ludvig Aberg, Harris English, Joel Dahmen |
| 2:41 p.m. | Billy Horschel, J.J. Spaun, Zach Johnson |
| 2:52 p.m. | Andrew Landry, Troy Merritt, Eric Cole |
| 3:03 p.m. | Denny McCarthy, Doug Ghim, Scott Gutschewski |
| 3:14 p.m. | Adam Long, Jimmy Walker, Chandler Phillips |
| 3:25 p.m. | Rafael Campos, Erik Barnes, Joe Highsmith |
| 3:36 p.m. | Ben Silverman, Patrick Fishburn, Blaine Hale, Jr. |
| 3:47 p.m. | Jimmy Stanger, Paul Barjon, Hayden Springer |
| Tee Time | Player |
|---|---|
| 8:20 a.m. | Alex Smalley, Hayden Buckley, Taylor Montgomery |
| 8:31 a.m. | Keith Mitchell, Ben Martin, Brandon Wu |
| 8:42 a.m. | Tyler Duncan, Bud Cauley, Robby Shelton |
| 8:53 a.m. | Rory McIlroy, Chez Reavie, Webb Simpson |
| 9:04 a.m. | Hideki Matsuyama, Lucas Glover, Jordan Spieth |
| 9:15 a.m. | Tom Kim, Akshay Bhatia, Russell Henley |
| 9:26 a.m. | Austin Eckroat, Grayson Murray, Adam Schenk |
| 9:37 a.m. | Kevin Streelman, Bronson Burgoon, Harry Hall |
| 9:48 a.m. | Alex Noren, S.H. Kim, Kevin Yu |
| 9:59 a.m. | C.T. Pan, Kevin Chappell, Byeong Hun An |
| 10:10 a.m. | Chan Kim, Mac Meissner, Rico Hoey |
| 10:21 a.m. | Thorbjorn Olesen, David Skinns, Peter Kuest |
| 10:32 a.m. | Jacob Bridgeman, Raul Pereda, Joe Sullivan (a) |
| 1:35 p.m. | Justin Lower, Vince Whaley |
| 1:46 p.m. | Michael Kim, Taylor Pendrith, Andrew Novak |
| 1:57 p.m. | Mark Hubbard, Sam Ryder, Carl Yuan |
| 2:08 p.m. | Erik van Rooyen, Chad Ramey, Matt Kuchar |
| 2:19 p.m. | Nico Echavarria, Ryan Brehm, Brandt Snedeker |
| 2:30 p.m. | Davis Riley, Cameron Champ, J.B. Holmes |
| 2:41 p.m. | Vincent Norrman, Seamus Power, K.H. Lee |
| 2:52 p.m. | Greyson Sigg, Davis Thompson, Ben Taylor |
| 3:03 p.m. | David Lipsky, Dylan Wu, Ryan Fox |
| 3:14 p.m. | Padraig Harrington Beau Hossler, Tyson Alexander |
| 3:25 p.m. | Nicholas Lindheim, Ryo Hisatune, Chris Gotterup |
| 3:36 p.m. | Alejandro Tosti, Parker Coody, Wilson Furr |
| 3:47 p.m. | Harrison Endycott, Kevin Dougherty, Alex Welch |