As you consider what is at stake on Sunday for Patrick Rodgers, the leader by one stroke entering the final round of the Valero Texas Open, appreciate this. The the first-place prize money payout of $1.602 million on the line is very likely the least important reward that could come with a potential victory.
Rather, if the 30-year-old is feeling any pressure as he makes his way around the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, its simply in the fact that a win will finally, FINALLY, FIN-A-LLY!! get him the first PGA Tour title he’s been searching for since turning pro as the next can’t miss kid in 2014. In 234 previous tour starts, Rodgers has had 19 top-10 finishes and earned $10,702,171, making him one of the 14 tour pros who ignominiously have earned eight figures on tour without a win to his credit.
If that wasn’t a big enough deal, there’s the extra incentive of earning the last invite to next week’s Masters, a tournament Rodgers has never previously qualified for. Any player not already in the field at Augusta who wins on Sunday will get the late reward.
It’s that later carrot that will also be driving some of the chasers on Sunday. Tour veteran Matt Kuchar, three shots back of Rodgers in solo third, had a string of 12 straight years playing in the Masters snapped in 2022 and he’s on the outside looking in unless he pulls off the Sunday comeback. Four shots back of Rodgers is Sam Stevens, a PGA Tour rookie who has competed in just 16 tour events and one lone major (2022 U.S. Open).
As for Rodgers’ closest pursuer come Sunday, Corey Conners is already in the Masters field. And he also knows all about the pressure of closing out a Texas Open win to book a trip to Augusta. He did just that in 2019 when he Monday qualified into the field and then charged to victory. If anybody knows what Rodgers might be feeling, it will be Conners.
OK, back to the money. The overall purse is $8.9 million. Here’s the prize money payout for each golfer who made the cut this week. Come back shortly after the tournament and we’ll update this with names and specific paydays.