Athletes and injuries. A common pair-up, especially in a sport like golf. Well, the 2024 Valero Texas Open is the site for just that, as several players are recovering from various ailments. But the 17 golfers should not lose hope, for a certain golfer proved back in the PLAYERS Championship that one can emerge victorious despite sporting an injury.

However, the $9.2 million prize purse event will not wait for the golfers to recover and is set to kick off on April 4. That said, here are the top names struggling with health concerns ahead of the tournament.

1. Tom Kim: The South Korean golfer had withdrawn from the PLAYERS Championship owing to an illness. Unfortunately, following the same, he couldn’t make it through the Valspar Championship either and was forced to pull out of the tournament. Although it is unclear if the professional has fully recovered, many would expect to see a healthy Kim on the greens despite his ‘questionable’ status due to illness.

2. Hideki Matsuyama: The 32-year-old was spotted holding his back before the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, admitting in his post-round conference that “my leg is a little numb, so it’s really not the perfect condition.” What’s more, he didn’t take part in the Pro-Am the previous day due to pain in his back that came from him supposedly tweaking it the previous weekend. The golfer seems to not have recovered completely, as he is currently deemed ‘probable’ to finish the Valero Texas Open.

3. Garrick Higgo: The South African professional pulled out of the PLAYERS Championship before the second round due to a wrist injury. He followed it with another WD from the Valspar Championship, citing the same reasons. Despite his scheduled tee-off alongside Chesson Hadley and Carson Young on Thursday, the golfer’s full recovery from his ailment remains uncertain, making it ‘questionable’ whether he will finish the event.

4. Jhonattan Vegas: The veteran golfer had taken a long break from the game last season owing to his elbow, which he reinjured in March 2023. Regardless, he seemed to be back to his old self at the WM Phoenix Open, where he gained the sixth spot in ball striking among the talented field of golfers. However, it appears he has not recovered fully, as a report made public recently shows him as ‘probable’ to finish the Valero Texas Open.

5. Lee Hodges: The current world No. 72 has not experienced a very good run in 2024 on the Jay Monahan-led circuit, with his best coming off the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he finished T12. Regrettably, the golfer’s wrist injury appears to have caused yet another setback for his fans. Regardless, many would be hoping to witness the athlete finish the event despite being deemed only ‘probable’ to do so.

Aside from the above professionals, Zach Johnson, the American Ryder Cup captain, is also battling health concerns. Camilo Villegas is another player who has been deemed ‘questionable’ in finishing the event. With 17 players nursing some kind of injury or illness, who on the Valero Texas Open playing field could impress?

Players to watch for at the Valero Texas Open

Despite not making the top 10 in the PGA Tour this season, World No.2 Rory McIlroy is the highest-ranked player at the Valero Texas Open. He may have won the Desert Dubai Classic on the DP World Tour, but with his subpar record on the Monahan-led tour so far this season, he’ll be looking to right some wrongs.

Corey Connors, the defending champion, who also won the Valero Texas Open in 2019, is another player to look out for. After a slow start to the season, the Canadian will look to build on his momentum from the Arnold Palmer Invitational (T18) and THE PLAYERS Championship (T13). Also lining up alongside McIlroy and Connors will be the likes of Jordan Spieth, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Colin Morikawa.

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Former Valero Texas Open champions Ricky Fowler, Zach Johnson, and Charlie Hoffman will be looking to make their mark as well. With the tournament holding the last ticket to the first Masters of 2024 (for those who haven’t qualified yet), there’s no doubt that the event at TPC San Antonio will be one to watch!

2024 Valero Texas Open: Round 1 and 2 Tee Timings and Pairings