Tag: Valero Texas Collegiate

Virginia’s Ben James earns PGA Tour exemption with win at Valero Texas Collegiate

The win is the sixth of James’ college career.

It has been a stellar start to the season for Virginia.

First, the Cavaliers picked up a season-opening win at the Inverness Intercollegiate, topping defending national champion Auburn by four shots.

Then on Monday, junior Ben James picked up his first win of the season at the Valero Texas Collegiate, and it was a significant one. James, the 2023 Phil Mickelson Award winner, topped Auburn’s Josiah Gilbert in a playoff to nab medalist honors at TPC San Antonio’s Oak’s Course. The victory earned him an exemption into the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open, slated for next April at the same venue.

James shot 6-under 66 in the final round, making birdie on the final hole to get into a playoff with Gilbert. He then made birdie on the first extra hole to win, the sixth victory of his collegiate career.

After a five-win freshman season, James wasn’t able to win during what some would call a “sophomore slump.” Still, after two tournaments to begin his junior season, he has lost to only two golfers and earned a professional exemption thanks to his play. He’s also making an early statement for the Haskins Award.

On the team side of things, Virginia tied for third with Auburn, but it was Oklahoma taking the team title at 30 under, topping Ole Miss by six shots for the title.

Oklahoma won the 2024 Valero Texas Collegiate. (Photo: OU Athletics)

The Sooners won for the 45th time under coach Ryan Hybl. The victory came in large part to junior Jase Summy’s school-record 10-under 62 in the opening round. He finished the week 11 under and solo third while senior Drew Goodman tied for eighth.

Valero Texas Collegiate, a new elite men’s college golf fall event, coming to TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course

The winner of the event will earn an exemption into the 2024 Valero Texas Open. 

There’s a new men’s college golf event coming this fall, and it’s at a site where the PGA Tour visits every year.

The Valero Corporation announced Tuesday the creation of the Valero Texas Collegiate, which will be held Sept. 8-11 at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course, also site of this week’s Tour event. The first day will be a college amateur competition, with 54 holes of stroke play to follow.

The University of Texas at San Antonio will be the host school, and the initial field is loaded. Current top-ranked Vanderbilt will be there, along with Oklahoma, Georgia Southern, Baylor, TCU, Virginia, LSU, Louisville, Georgia and Florida Gulf Coast. The final of the 12 teams will be announced at a later date.

“This is something that we, as an event and alongside Valero, have been following for a very long time, as college golf has risen in priority and importance in terms of cultivating the next generation of stars,” said Larson Segerdahl, executive director of the Valero Texas Open. “We are thrilled to be able to join the ranks of the elite college golf tournaments out there and have, we believe, a top field as we kick off this year’s event.”

The winner of the event will earn an exemption into the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

“This is a great opportunity for a young rising talent to not only compete at the highest level of college golf, but then to be able to tee it up next to the world’s best here on the PGA Tour,” Segerdahl said.

Former Georgia Bulldog and current PGA Tour player Brendon Todd said it’s a special opportunity for college athletes to play a course that the Tour does.

“I think is going to be something that’s going to be really special going forward,” Todd said.

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