What Is the Lowest Score Ever Shot at the Valero Texas Open?
First played in 1922, the tournament currently known as the Valero Texas Open is the third-oldest non-major championship on the PGA Tour schedule, trailing only the BMW Championship (formerly the Western Open) and the Canadian Open. But as it’s always been played in or around San Antonio, Texas, it is the oldest tournament to be held in the same area.
The Texas Open has also always been known as one of the easier tournaments on the schedule. In fact, since 1934, every single winner has finished under par.
And that winner’s list is quite spectacular as it features such names as Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Chi-Chi Rodriguez, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Lee Trevino, Calvin Peete, Corey Pavin, Mark O’Meara, Nick Price, Justin Leonard, Zach Johnson, Adam Scott, and Jordan Spieth.
But do any of those legendary golfers own the lowest single-round or 72-hole score at the Texas Open? Let’s take a look.
Actually, it should first be noted that the Texas Open has been contested on eight different golf courses over the years. The event moved to its present site on the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio in 2010. So just keep that in mind as we run through things here.
What is the lowest single-round score at the Texas Open?
The lowest 18-hole score in Texas Open is 60, which has been shot on five occasions.
In fact, the first 60 in PGA Tour history was shot at this event when Al Brosch accomplished the feat in the third round of the 1951 event at Brackenridge Park, which played as a par-71. The next two 60s were also shot at Brackenridge, first by Ted Kroll in the third round of the 1954 tournament and then by Mike Souchak in the opening round of the 1955 event. Of the three, only Souchak went on to win.
In the third round of the 2004 Texas Open, Bart Bryant shot the fourth 60 in tournament history, this one occurring in the third round at La Cantera Golf Club, which played as a par-70. Bryant shot 67 the next day to take a three-stroke victory.
Zach Johnson matched the mark at La Cantera in the third round of the 2009 event, dropping his final putt just seconds after the horn blew to suspend play for darkness. Johnson became the fourth back-to-back winner in tournament history the following day when he defeated James Driscoll in a playoff.
Since the Texas Open moved to TPC San Antonio, the lowest single round on the par-72 Oaks Course is a 10-under 62, which was shot in the third round of the 2018 event. Mullinax ultimately tied for second.
What is the lowest 72-hole score at the Texas Open?
As for the lowest 72-hole score at the Texas Open, that gets a little tricky, given the difference in the various courses.
In relation to par, the record belongs to the aforementioned Mike Souchak, who shot 60-68-64-65 on the par-71 layout at Brackenridge in 1955, needing just 257 strokes to finish at 27-under. At the time, that was the lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history on both accounts.
The under-par record stood until 1998 when John Huston shot 28-under at the Hawaiian Open. And the strokes mark lasted until 2001, when Mark Calcavechhia needed just 256 shots to win the Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
At the 2003 Texas Open, Tommy Armour III set a new tournament and PGA Tour mark as he needed just 254 strokes en route to victory on the par-70 layout at La Cantera, shooting 64-63-62-65 to finish at 26-under. Armour’s record stood until 2017, when Justin Thomas won the Sony Open in 253 strokes.
Since the Texas Open moved to TPC San Antonio, the lowest 72-hole score was the 20-under 262 by Corey Conners in 2019.
