This Week in Golf

PGA Tour - The Valero Texas Open tries out a new course this year at the TPC San Antonio. The track is a collaborative effort between Pete Dye and Greg Norman. Players and fans alike are excited to see what they have come up with. The course just opened in February of this year. The field following THE PLAYERS and preceding three more prestigious events is not stellar. Ernie Els was a late entry, but he is the only top ten player competing here. Justin Leonard, who always plays well in his home state, is my pick to win. The two-time Texas Open champion has not had a spectacular season in 2010, but he did make last year's President's Cup team and fought his way into a playoff in November at the Las Vegas tournament. He had a string of top 20 finishes leading up to the Masters, but since then, he has only one round in the sixties. He tied for 5th the last time the Tour visited San Antonio, and I foresee another strong showing from Leonard this week. Another fellow to keep an eye on is big bomber J.B. Holmes. J.B. has played solid golf this season. He is 17th in the FedEx Cup standings, and his opening round of 66 at Sawgrass last Thursday vaulted him to a T13 at THE PLAYERS. CBS will televise the Valero Texas Open.

Illinois Interest Item - Olympia High School graduate Randy Kindred writes about a debate that is brewing over an attempt at sportsmanship on the golf course near Chicago that involved a Bloomington native who attends Olivet Nazarene University. I say good sportsmanship. As a coach, I would be proud if one of my athletes made a similar decision. As a player, I probably would have ended up birdieing the hole if I was intentionally trying to play poorly. What is your take?