Tony Finau Shares Early Texas Open Lead, Needing Win for Masters Berth

Finau is on the cusp of losing his streak of 33 straight major championship appearances if he doesn't win this weekend.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:26pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the golf course, players, and tournament action in an abstract, cubist style, using vibrant shades of green, brown, and blue to capture the intensity of the competition.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes drama unfolding at the Valero Texas Open, where veteran golfer Tony Finau fights to extend his major championship streak.San Antonio Today

Tony Finau and Davis Thompson share the early lead at the Valero Texas Open, a tournament that offers the winner an invitation to the 2026 Masters. Finau, who has played in 33 consecutive major championships, is in need of a win this weekend to extend that streak, as his world ranking has been dropping due to poor results since his last win in 2023.

Why it matters

The Valero Texas Open is the last chance for many players to qualify for the prestigious Masters tournament next week. For Finau, a win would not only earn him a spot in the Masters, but also keep alive his impressive streak of 33 straight major championship appearances, which is on the line due to his recent poor results.

The details

Finau started his day on the back nine and had a great score of 31 after an eagle at the Par 5 14th. He followed that up with two birdies in a row at 17 and 18, and also birdied the Par 3 13th to kick-start his day. On the front nine, Finau would bogey the 1st but respond right away with a birdie on the 2nd. He later birdied the 6th to move up to -6, which would then give him the lead after Will Zalatoris had back-to-back bogeys.

  • Finau started his day on the back nine.
  • Finau eagled the Par 5 14th hole.
  • Finau birdied holes 17, 18, and 13 on the back nine.
  • Finau bogeyed the 1st hole on the front nine but birdied the 2nd and 6th holes.

The players

Tony Finau

A veteran golfer on the PGA Tour with six career wins. He has played in 33 straight major championships and is in need of a win this weekend to extend that streak, as his world ranking has been dropping due to poor results since his last win in 2023.

Will Zalatoris

A golfer who started the day hot and led for the majority of his round, but had back-to-back bogeys that allowed Finau to take the lead.

Davis Thompson

A golfer who shares the early lead with Finau at the Valero Texas Open.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, I feel like I'm really close to putting together a string of good golf tournaments. I've had some good days during tournaments, whether that's in the first round, the final round, but I haven't been able to put together I feel like really strong finishes and four days of good golf. So I'm off to a good start this week. I'll just be looking to capitalize on three more days of good golf.”

— Tony Finau

What’s next

The winner of the Valero Texas Open will be invited to play in the 2026 Masters tournament next week.

The takeaway

This weekend's Valero Texas Open is a critical tournament for veteran golfer Tony Finau, who is looking to extend his impressive streak of 33 straight major championship appearances. A win would not only earn him a spot in the prestigious Masters, but also help turn around his recent poor results and dropping world ranking.