The Betting Bunker: Three golf betting tips for the 2025 Valero Texas Open

Written by: Ross Kilvington

In the latest addition to our tipping arsenal, Odds Now's golf expert Ross Kilvington (@Kilvington91) casts his eye over the Valero Texas Open, which tees off on Thursday.

Ross has been in fine form across the first four events he's previewed and will be hoping for more success this week!

Valero Texas Open 2025 – key betting insights

The PGA Tour remains in the Lone Star state this week with the Valero Texas Open taking place at TPC San Antonio.

The par-72, 7438-yard Oaks Course will play host to the final regular event before the Masters. The tournament has been held since 1922, making it the third oldest even on the PGA Tour.

Previous winners include Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth and the event regularly attracts a top-class field, especially with the first major championship of the year taking place the week after.

Ludvig Aberg, Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsuyama and defending champion Akshay Bhatia will all be among those looking to emerge victorious, giving them a massive boost ahead of Augusta.

TPC San Antonio will provide a unique challenge for the field. The Greg Norman designed course balances narrow, tree-lined fairways, with those of the wider nature, which give the players plenty of strategic options to the green.

If the wind picks up, expect big scores. Indeed, all downhill holes play into the wind, while the uphill holes play downwind.

Houston Open 2025 betting tips

Selection #1 - Ludvig Aberg - 12/1 @ Paddy Power (8 places 1/5 odds) 

Ludvig Aberg made his first ever start in a major 12 months ago at the 2024 Masters, following a glorious start to his professional career. He won twice within three months between September and November 2023, while also playing in the 2023 Ryder Cup for Europe.

And yet, despite that memorable and hugely impressive second place finish at Augusta last year, he failed to find the winning touch on either the PGA Tour or DPWT throughout 2024.

After knee surgery, the Swede has returned to something close to his best so far this year. The 25-year-old won the Genesis Invitational in February, shooting a final round 66 to prevail by a single stroke.

Aberg ranks 12th on tour for strokes gained off the tee, which will be a huge asset given how narrow the fairways are here. Elsewhere, the two-time PGA Tour winner ranks first for approaches from 200 yards and 32nd for one-putt percentage this term, suggesting his all-round game is in excellent shape.

Selection #2 - Corey Conners - 14/1 @ Ladbrokes (10 places, 1/5 odds) 

Another short-priced selection this week, but Corey Conners' record here is simply too good to ignore.

The Canadian has won twice on the PGA Tour, with both of those successes coming at this very tournament. In 2019, Conners prevailed by two shots to claim his first win on tour and it secured him a spot in the Masters the following week.

His win in 2023 was a more nervewracking affair, winning by a single stroke – and he backed up his exemplary loving for TPC San Antonio with a top 25 finish last year.

I backed Conners ahead of the Players Championship a few weeks ago. Rounds of 71, 71, 66 and 71 saw him finish in a tie for sixth at TPC Sawgrass. This came just a week after finishing third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Overall, Conners has enjoyed a remarkably consistent 2025 season, missing just one cut across eight events.

This, combined with his past success at TPC San Antonio, could easily see the 33-year-old challenge for a third title here.

Selection #3 - Gary Woodland 50/1 - Paddy Power (8 places, 1/5 odds)

Gary Woodland had surgery to remove a brain tumor towards the end of 2023 and just getting back to playing professional golf again was an incredible achievement.

Indeed, 2024 proved difficult given the circumstances. The 2019 U.S. Open champion finished 155th in the FedEx Cup standings, having secured a solitary top-ten finish throughout the season.

But after just eight events of 2025, Woodland already appears to be readjusting to life on tour fairly well. He has missed three cuts, but his lowest finish of the other five events is a tie for 47th, achieved at the Valspar Championship.

At the Houston Open last week, Woodland was a gutsy runner-up to Min Woo Lee, shooting a stunning round of 62 on Sunday.

The 40-year-old has a solid record at the Valero Texas Open too, making five cuts from six events. In 2021, he finished T6, while securing a T8 finish the year after at TPC San Antonio.

Woodland’s approach play as been sublime in 2025, ranking 12th on tour for proximity to the hole, third for approaches from 200 yards and 41st in strokes gained: approach to green.

Without a win since that three-stroke victory over Brooks Koepka at Pebble Beach in 2019, Woodland is certainly trending in the right direction. Not currently in the Masters field for next week, a win would also punch him a last-minute ticket to Augusta.

Ross' three Valero Texas Open 2025 betting picks

1.5pts ew - Ludvig Aberg - 12/1 @ Paddy Power (8 places)

1.5pts ew - Corey Conners - 14/1 @ Ladbrokes (10 places)

0.5pts ew - Taylor Moore - 50/1 @ Paddy Power (8 places)

Total stake - 4pts (all place bets settled at 1/5 odds)

Seasonal Stats

Events tipped by Ross - 5

Total staked in 2025: 17pts

Total returns in 2025: 31.8pts

P/L in 2025: +14.8pts

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