Tommy Fleetwood Headlines Texas Open Field as The Masters Looms

The last chance for players to secure a spot at Augusta National is this week's Valero Texas Open.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:18pm

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The Valero Texas Open, held the week before the Masters, will feature a strong field led by Englishman Tommy Fleetwood as players look to fine-tune their games ahead of the year's first major. While top players like Collin Morikawa have withdrawn, the field still includes notable names such as Russell Henley, Ludvig Aberg, J.J. Spaun, and Hideki Matsuyama. The winner of the Texas Open who has not already qualified for the Masters will earn the final spot in the field at Augusta National.

Why it matters

The Texas Open provides a crucial final tune-up for players heading to the Masters, the first major championship of the year. It's the last chance for those not yet qualified to secure a spot in the elite field at Augusta National. The challenging TPC San Antonio course tests players' all-around games, making it an ideal preparation event for the Masters.

The details

The Valero Texas Open will be played at the par-72, 7,438-yard TPC San Antonio course. The layout features two par-5 holes over 600 yards, two long par-3s, and a unique 16th hole with a doughnut-shaped green and a bunker in the middle. Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who had a strong performance at the event in 2024, will headline the field. Collin Morikawa was originally set to play but withdrew due to a lingering back issue. Other notable names in the field include Russell Henley, Swedish rookie Ludvig Aberg, and major champions J.J. Spaun and Hideki Matsuyama.

  • The Valero Texas Open will be played from Thursday, April 3 to Sunday, April 6, 2026.
  • The Masters Tournament is scheduled for April 10-13, 2026.

The players

Tommy Fleetwood

An English professional golfer who has won several European Tour events and has been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour in recent years.

Collin Morikawa

A young American golfer who has won multiple major championships, including the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship.

Russell Henley

An American professional golfer who has won four PGA Tour events, including the 2014 Honda Classic.

Ludvig Aberg

A Swedish professional golfer and former top-ranked amateur who is making his PGA Tour debut this week.

J.J. Spaun

An American professional golfer who won the 2022 Valero Texas Open, earning him a spot in the Masters Tournament.

Hideki Matsuyama

A Japanese professional golfer who has won several PGA Tour events, including the 2021 Masters Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“It's funny, I played by chance in 2024. I was struggling in Florida, took the next week off and threw this one into the schedule. I had a great week. I then had a great Masters right after it. It's been part of our year ever since.”

— Tommy Fleetwood

“Starting the year, I have been happy with my game, just really upset with the results. I felt like I was getting out there and kind of shooting the highest score that I could every day.”

— Brian Harman

“That's been the big focus lately because the ball-striking's been there, the short game's been there, and now I feel like I'm just trying to get a better picture of what I'm trying to do and try not to get so far ahead of myself. When you get into a little bit of a funk or a slump, it's really easy to get out in front of yourself and think about the future a lot. I'm a victim of that more often than not. Just trying to stay real present and not dwell on stuff too bad and just kind of try to stay where my feet are.”

— Brian Harman

“It's a demanding golf course. Can't be overpowered. You've got to really control your ball. I think you have to be patient. I think you have to use an all-around game. It's windy. I think there's just a lot of elements that go into making this a really, really good challenge.”

— Tommy Fleetwood

What’s next

The winner of the 2026 Valero Texas Open who has not already qualified for the 2026 Masters Tournament will earn the final spot in the field at Augusta National.

The takeaway

The Valero Texas Open provides a crucial final tune-up for players heading to the Masters, the first major championship of the year. The challenging TPC San Antonio course tests players' all-around games, making it an ideal preparation event for the year's first major. This week's tournament represents the last chance for those not yet qualified to secure a spot in the elite field at Augusta National.