Conners game for Augusta
But first Listowel native must focus on excelling at San Antonio
With the Masters looming, we are going to start hearing the phrase “horses for courses” when it comes to pundits predicting the year’s first major winner.
That golf adage — meaning players who traditionally perform well on a certain layout — is applied most often when the course in question is Augusta National.
Augusta is golf’s only permanent major venue, which means competitors are familiar with it. And the Alister MacKenzie/Bobby Jones design has typically favoured those who play a certain ball flight and possess a great touch around the greens.
Augusta’s obvious horses have included multiple Masters champions such as Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jose Maria Olazabal, Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo. Even those who have never won a green jacket — Tom Weiskopf, Greg Norman, Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy — have been given that distinction because of the way they play.
Another player who fits that bill is Corey Conners. Yes, he missed the cut at the 2023 Masters, but before that he reeled off three straight top-10 finishes. As much as Conners is surely looking forward to next week, however, his focus this week is excelling on another track he clearly loves — the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio.
Conners is the defending champion for a second time this week at the Valero Texas Open. The Listowel, Ont., native won the tournament last year in rather thrilling fashion, saving par on the 72nd hole to prevail by one shot over Sam Stevens. In 2019, in the field as a Monday qualifier, Conners won his maiden PGA Tour title on a wild Sunday in which he made 10 birdies. In both cases, he attributed his success to his comfort with the host course, one with some similarities — at least when it comes to some tee-box sightlines — to Augusta.
“I feel like my shot shape … I can just see turning the ball from right to left,” said Conners, a predominate drawer of the ball, after winning at TPC San Antonio last year. “There are so many holes out here that maybe it might not be the ideal shape (but) I just see my shot shape fitting into these holes. There’s a number of holes that are right to left that I really like and took advantage of.”
Right-to-left tee shots are a definite requirement next week, which is what makes the Valero such a fine tune-up for someone like Conners.
“I don’t see myself ever not playing here,” Conners said Tuesday. “I think this is an amazing place and I’ve had, obviously, good results here. I think this year I’ll be playing before every major just the way that the schedule is set up. I’ve been on and off (playing the week before majors) in the past. Played well at the PGA last year with a week off before. I’ve had good results at Augusta coming off playing the Valero here in San Antonio as well.”
Conners will face a deeper field this year than in the past with a number of big-name players clearly recognizing TPC San Antonio as being good prep work for the Masters. After skipping last year’s tournament, McIlroy is back in the Alamo City. He missed the cut at the Valero in 2022 but finished second the following week at the Masters. Joining him are first-time Valero participants Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood while Max Homa and British Open champion Brian Harman are returning for the first time since 2019. Sophomore standout Ludvig Aberg is playing the event for the first time as a professional.
“I think it’s great for the tournament, (for) Valero,” Conners said. “I think those guys will see what a special place this is as well. Leading into Augusta, some of them probably wanted to get some tournament reps under their belt and this is certainly a place that will test you and see where your game’s at.”
As has been his custom, Conners started slowly this season but picked up his game once the tour hit Florida. He tied for 18th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, his first top-20 finish of the season, and for 13th the following week at the Players Championship. When he won the Valero last year, it was his first top-10 result of the campaign, which ultimately ended with yet another trip to the Tour Championship.
“I feel good about my game, felt really solid, especially at The Players Championship,” said Conners, who will play with Homa and Morikawa the first two days in Texas. “I feel like all parts of my game are trending in the right direction. Been hitting the ball well, short game and putting have been getting sharper and sharper … (I) feel like it’s just a matter of time before I turn those top 20s into top 10s and wins.”
Certainly April has been a good month for Conners in the past, with him being a horse for the course this week and next.