Scheffler withdraws — baby on the way
Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from the Texas Children’s Houston Open to prepare for the birth of his second child, opening the field early in the Texas swing ahead of the Valero Texas Open. Rickie Fowler is among the names still committed to Valero as players jockey for final Masters spots. (aol.com) (sports.yahoo.com) (foxsports.com)
Matt Kuchar was added to the Memorial Park field as Scottie Scheffler’s replacement, according to the PGA Tour entry update. (pgatour.com) Justin Lower moved up to first alternate following the roster change, and Golf Channel noted Scheffler’s spot was the seventh withdrawal for the Houston Open since Sunday. (golfchannel.com) Scheffler’s most recent competitive result was a tie for 22nd at THE PLAYERS Championship, and his 18-tournament run of top-10 finishes previously came to an end with a tie for 12th at the Genesis Invitational. (nbcsports.com) The Valero Texas Open is scheduled for March 30–April 5 at TPC San Antonio’s The Oaks course, the week immediately preceding the Masters. (valerotexasopen.com) Tournament organizers show 22 Masters invitees currently scheduled to play in San Antonio, and recent Valero commitments added names including Max Homa, Gary Woodland and Tommy Fleetwood to the field. (valerotexasopen.com) Several outlets report Scheffler is expected to forgo another tournament and that his next likely start will be the Masters in two weeks, shifting the pre‑Augusta landscape for players chasing final seeding and form. (espn.com)
