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Players most desperate for a Masters invite at the Valero Texas Open

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Two weeks remain until the Masters, and the Valero Texas Open is for some a last resort to qualifying for the field at Augusta.

At the conclusion of this week’s event, any player in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) will automatically be in the 2015 Masters. For the currently unqualified that don’t reach that mark, their only remaining chance will be to win the Shell Houston Open — a harrowing proposition to bet ones Masters’ stakes on.

There are some larger names on the outside of the top 50 right now and not yet Augusta bound. This story gives you those big names within striking distance, along with their odds of cracking the top 50 and avoiding the long-shot opportunity of winning the Shell Houston Open to get in.

Harris English: 53rd in the OWGR

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It’s been an unusual season for two-time PGA Tour winner Harris English in 2015. His previous years of data point a player whose top 10s are rarely really high finishes, but this year two of his three top-10s were a T2 and a third-place showing.

The 25-year-old’s talent is undeniable and, as I outlined here, I think that along with a pretty good course fit will have him playing well at the Valero.

Based on last year’s ranking points distribution for the Valero, and using the current 2.42 points need for English to reach the top 50, the former Bulldog would need something close to a top-5 this week to be safe for the coveted top-50 spot. And a top-10 at TPC San Antonio would give him a pretty good shot, too.

Even if that is a lofty showing, I think English has a very favorable chance of sneaking into the top 50.

Matt Jones: 62nd in the OWGR

"First round of the AT&T National Pro-Am"

Maybe this guy is a little less desperate, because he proved last year that he can win the Shell Houston Open, but that’s unlikely considering what he had to do to pull off that victory.

His game is really good for this Oaks Course, as iron play is his worst spot (and a minimized weakness at the Valero). He’s a good driver, putter and short game player, putting him into the all-around profile that has historically performed well here. Couple that with top-15s in his last three starts, and Jones is looking really good.

That being said, he’ll need a top-3 finish this week to get to 2.42 points and a top-5 to have any shot at top 50. There’s a lot going for him this week, but I’m only lukewarm on his odds of pulling that high a finish.

Francesco Molinari: 63rd in the OWGR

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The 32-year-old Italian has opted for a U.S.-centric schedule for the first time in his career in 2015, with mixed results. Molinari has made a solid 5 of 7 cuts, but only has one top-15 finish, and he dropped nine spots in the OWGR since the beginning of the year.

He has flashed some form in his last two events, and the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course is kind of a net neutral for his game.

Molinari needs the same thing as Jones, but nothing points to a big performance this week. A sixth-straight Masters start is on the line, but Molinari is pretty much toast.

Graham DeLaet: 67th in the OWGR

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This Canadian is chasing his second Masters invite after last year’s debut, and he faces a problem with this TPC San Antonio Oaks Course layout. He’s an excellent driver and long hitter, both advantages at this course. But he has issues with the big miss, which is a problem at the Oaks Course. His mediocre putting and short game do not bode well for a layout that advantages both of these aspects.

He’s also in a funk of late, with consecutive missed cuts after two top-10s and five weekends in six events he finished previously in 2014-2015.

He might need to place solo second or better to get into the top 50. If Molinari is toast, DeLaet’s odds are beyond slim.

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Kevin's fascination with the game goes back as long as he can remember. He has written about the sport on the junior, college and professional levels and hopes to cover its proceedings in some capacity for as long as possible. His main area of expertise is the PGA Tour, which is his primary focus for GolfWRX. Kevin is currently a student at Northwestern University, but he will be out into the workforce soon enough. You can find his golf tidbits and other sports-related babble on Twitter @KevinCasey19. GolfWRX Writer of the Month: September 2014

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 PGA Championship

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GolfWRX is on site this week at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, for the PGA Championship.

While we see fewer equipment changes and new gear seeding at major championships, we get a look at custom gear and looks into the bags of players we rarely see, which is just as exciting. In the case of the PGA Championship, this means a look at the gear some of the PGA Professionals who qualified for the tournament will be gaming, and LIV players, such as Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed.

Check out links to all our albums from Valhalla below and check back throughout the week as we continue to update.

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Photos from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship

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GolfWRX is live this week at the Wells Fargo Championship as a field of the world’s best golfers descend upon Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping to tame the beast that is Quail Hollow Club in this Signature Event — only Scottie Scheffler, who is home awaiting the birth of his first child, is absent.

From the grounds at Quail Hollow, we have our usual assortment of general galleries and WITBs — including a look at left-hander Akshay Bhatia’s setup. Among the pullout albums, we have a look inside Cobra’s impressive new tour truck for you to check out. Also featured is a special look at Quail Hollow king, Rory McIlroy.

Be sure to check back throughout the week as we add more galleries.

General Albums

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See what GolfWRXers are saying about our Wells Fargo Championship photos in the forums.

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Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson

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GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).

Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.

We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

 

 

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