Morikawa pulls out
Seven golfers withdrew from this week’s Valero Texas Open — including two‑time major winner Collin Morikawa, who cited a persistent back injury that now puts his Masters chances in doubt. (newsweek.com) — several top names (Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy) also skipped San Antonio to prep for Augusta, leaving Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley and Ludvig Aberg as top contenders this week. (cbssports.com) Rain and wind are forecast at TPC San Antonio — a possible equalizer — and analysts are pushing riskier “one‑and‑done” picks like Rickie Fowler for those chasing value. ( )
Morikawa’s back trouble originated at The Players when he felt the issue during a practice swing on the 11th hole and withdrew after one hole on March 12; he has not played competitively since and was replaced in the Valero field by Frankie Capan III. (espn.com) The 29‑year‑old sits inside the top 10 of the OWGR and arrived in Texas off a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro‑Am (Feb. 15) plus top‑10s at the Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this season. (espn.com) Scottie Scheffler pulled out of the Houston Open citing family reasons as his wife is due to give birth and was replaced in that field by Matt Kuchar, while Rory McIlroy confirmed The Players would be his final start before the Masters as he tightens his pre‑major schedule. (pgatour.com) Market reactions reshuffled this week’s favorites: FanDuel showed Tommy Fleetwood at about +1300 with Ludvig Åberg and Russell Henley near +1600, and CBS Sports noted SportsLine’s 10,000‑run model produced surprise projections after the late withdrawals. (cbssports.com) Weather models and PGA‑course notes warn TPC San Antonio will be an equalizer — forecasts show sustained breezes around 10–15 mph with gusts topping 20–27 mph at times, and the Oaks layout’s exposed greens and runoffs amplify the effect of wind on scoring. (accuweather.com) That combination of absent stars and tricky conditions has pushed analysts toward higher‑variance “one‑and‑done” plays like Rickie Fowler as value, and Fowler still needs either a top‑five at Houston to climb into the OWGR top‑50 or a win in San Antonio to secure a Masters invitation. (outkick.com)
