Expert Picks: Sanderson Farms Championship

SAN ANTONIO — The leaderboard late Saturday at the Valero Texas Open reflected youth and experience, from those without a PGA TOUR title to those with many. What they had in common: Most have yet to qualify for the Masters. And they can do that by winning here. Charles Howell III, Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker, all of them in their 40s and all of them not currently in the Masters field, will play late in the fourth round at TPC San Antonio. Snedeker birdied two of the last three holes Saturday to finish with a share of the lead at 10 under par. “Hopefully I can pull on a lot of experience,” said Snedeker, 41. That he has. Snedeker has won nine times in his career, most recently at the Wyndham Championship in 2018. He’s played in the Masters on 12 occasions, including in 2021, when he finished 59th. Kuchar, 43, and Howell, 42, also played at Augusta National last year. Howell tied for 46th. Kuchar missed the cut. Kuchar, also a nine-time winner on the TOUR, begins the final round in Texas two shots behind Snedeker. He shot even-par 72 on a hot, breezy Saturday in Texas to finish in sixth alone. He knows sixth won’t get him to Augusta. “I think quality play trumps anything,” Kuchar said. “I’d take execution over course knowledge any day of the week. I think it’s going to take just quality golf tomorrow to win this thing.” Six players were tied at one time early in the third round of the Valero Texas Open, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary. Kuchar birdied three of the first four holes, but a double-bogey on the par-4 ninth stalled his rally. Snedeker made no bogeys in his round of 67, while Howell shot 2-over 38 on the back nine to stall his own. He’ll begin the final round at minus 7, three shots behind Snedeker, Beau Hossler, Dylan Frittelli and J.J. Spaun. None of those players either has qualified yet for the first major championship of 2022. Howell, who’s made 10 starts in the Masters, understands the stakes. “This is the last qualifier for it (the Masters),” Howell said of the 100-year-old tournament in San Antonio. “It’s a big deal. It’ll take a good one (round to win). The golf course is hard enough that it’ll keep you in the present.” And that’s exactly where Snedeker found himself Saturday afternoon as he finished a back-nine 32. He can summon plenty of good memories of the Valero Texas Open. In just four starts, Snedeker averages 70.25 strokes in the final round — a number that just might be good enough on a fast and firming course in The Oaks. Snedeker has never finished worse than 25th at the VTO. He tied for sixth last year and finished in fourth alone in 2011. “So I’ll pull on those years of experience out here,” he said. “Tomorrow’s not going to be easy. It never is to win a golf tournament. Knowing that going into it hopefully gives me a little leg up.”

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AVONDALE, La. – Patrick Reed has been craving his “normalâ€� life and as such can’t wait to get back into the competitive grind with teammate Patrick Cantlay at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The newly minted Masters champion is set to play his first event since claiming his maiden major at Augusta National and couldn’t be happier. And given he forms part of the only team that has two TOUR winners from this season and the only team with both players inside the top 15 of the FedExCup, he has reason to be confident. “There is nothing like being back out here and getting inside the ropes, playing with the guys, and going out and competing,â€� Reed said. “Just something I love to do is compete. I’ve been looking forward to coming back and having a chance to win. “You have to get back in it, get back grinding, and playing some golf. It’s been lots of fun and I look forward to the rest of the year.â€� Reed went head first into the spoils that come with a Green Jacket – hitting the New York media tour and late shows, watching NBA games courtside, and attending functions in his honor. He called it “an eye-opening experienceâ€�. His wife Justine took the brunt of the mountains of correspondence – replying to what Reed believed was easily over 800 emails. He knows things will be different now. And he needs to get used to managing his time. Other major winners have warned him to be ready. “It is different with just everything that comes with it,â€� Reed said. “Just a lot of extra stuff that you didn’t have in the past, which, I mean, it’s all great. It’s awesome. But to be able to manage the time and get back to playing golf and get into our normal routine has been nice, because it’s something you can’t stay out of for a while. “A lot of guys have told me, just be careful with your time. First things first. You got to go out and grind and focus on golf, because the time you start to not focus on golf will be the time you go backwards. That’s nothing any of us want. We all want to improve and get better.â€� It starts at TPC Louisiana where Reed and Cantlay sat second through 36 holes last year only to fade to T14. They believe they’re ready to make amends. “We’re both extremely competitive, and I would say that’s one of the traits we both have that serves us both really well,â€� Cantlay enthused. “We love winning, we love competing, and I think it shows.â€�

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