Brian Harman Preparing to Defend Valero Texas Open Title

Despite a rough start to 2026, the defending champion hopes a return to TPC San Antonio can spark a turnaround.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Brian Harman, the defending champion of the Valero Texas Open, is preparing to return to TPC San Antonio in April to defend his title. Despite a slow start to the 2026 season, Harman is staying patient and hoping to recapture the form that led to his victory at last year's tournament, where he surged to a three-stroke win despite feeling out of top form entering the event.

Why it matters

The Valero Texas Open is an important event on the PGA Tour schedule, and Harman's victory last year was a significant accomplishment. As he looks to defend his title, the tournament will provide a key tuneup for Harman ahead of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National, which he sees as an ideal preparation for the year's first major.

The details

Harman, who turned professional in 2009, has won four times on the PGA Tour, including the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship and the 2023 British Open. Last year, he entered the Valero Texas Open with no finish higher than 17th on the season and had missed the cut in two of his previous seven events. However, he shot 66 in the first two rounds to take a lead into the weekend, and despite some struggles in the final two rounds, he was able to secure the victory by three strokes.

  • Harman will defend his Valero Texas Open title from April 2-5, 2026.
  • Last year, Harman won the Valero Texas Open in April 2025.

The players

Brian Harman

An American professional golfer who has won four times on the PGA Tour, including the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship and the 2023 British Open.

Tommy Fleetwood

An English professional golfer who is currently ranked 3rd in the world.

Justin Rose

An English professional golfer who is currently ranked 4th in the world.

Collin Morikawa

An American professional golfer who is currently ranked 5th in the world.

J.J. Spaun

An American professional golfer who is currently ranked 10th in the world.

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What they’re saying

“Last year going into the tournament, I'd had a pretty abysmal year before Valero, and Valero sort of sparked me. You never know when the spark is going to come. You just got to keep doing your job and hoping, just knowing that you're doing the right stuff and then just waiting for that one little spark.”

— Brian Harman (expressnews.com)

“I was super proud of the weekend that I had out in San Antonio last year. I'm not going to call it my best game on the weekend. I played great Thursday and Friday, and struggled a little bit Saturday and Sunday. But just knowing the conditions were going to be like they were, and just being able to grit it out, be super patient, and not try to overdo it.”

— Brian Harman (expressnews.com)

What’s next

The 104th Valero Texas Open will be held from April 2-5, 2026 at TPC San Antonio, where Brian Harman will look to defend his title.

The takeaway

Brian Harman's victory at the 2025 Valero Texas Open was a significant accomplishment, and his return to the event in 2026 will provide him with a crucial tuneup ahead of the Masters Tournament. Despite a slow start to the season, Harman remains confident in his process and is hoping to recapture the form that led to his triumph at TPC San Antonio last year.