Valero Texas Open Betting: Five each-way picks at TPC San Antonio

Can Brian bring home the bacon?

Ben Crane - SP 175-1 - landed the place money for this column last week - can we go close again in the week before the Masters?  

Joe Dyer - Back Brian Gay @ 81.0n/a
Two successive missed cuts have surely pushed Brian Gay's odds out to the chunky 81.0n/a available on Betfair's fixed odds this week. Ben Crane was an each-way winner for me last week and I'm backing Gay for similar reasons - he has form in his home state (Texas) and is a proven winner with four PGA Tour victories to his name. Gay is an accurate player with a dream short game and that should stand him in good stead this week.   

Dan Geraghty - Back Patrick Reed @ 301.0n/a 
I've kept a close eye on Patrick Reed since I learned of his remarkable PGA Tour Monday qualifying streak last season (qualified six times!). I've been waiting for this week for a while and have concocted a dream scenario in my head whereby the talented young American wins the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, where he was born, and goes on to compete next week at Augusta, in Georgia, where he went to University. Stranger things have happened (probably). Reed was 35th here last year on a sponsor's exemption, his first start of the season before he started his qualifying streak.

Paul Krishnamurty - Back Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano @ 56.0n/a 
A multiple European Tour winner in seasons past, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano has never started a year so well, whether it's been in top-class Gulf events or making a surprisingly quick impression on the PGA Tour. After catching the eye during the WGC Accenture Matchplay, third place behind Tiger Woods and Justin Rose on his Bay Hill debut was a genuinely world-class effort. We know from his days in Europe that Gonzo is a master of windy conditions, so the exposed layout at San Antonio offers an ideal opportunity to continue his excellent work.

Steven Rawlings - Back Brendan Steele @ 51.0n/a
Birthday boy Brendan Steele, who turns 30 on Friday, is a very popular and obvious pick this week. He has a habit of playing well at certain venues and TPC San Antonio, home of this week's Valero Texas Open, is certainly one of them. He finished fourth 12 months ago, a year after winning the tournament in 2011. He was badly out of form both before and after each of the last two renewals so the fact that his game is in decent shape this time around is hugely encouraging. This place clearly brings out the best in Brendan and he looks a great each-way bet at 51.0n/a.

Mike Norman - Back Cameron Tringale @ 31.0n/a
Cameron Tringale was always on the fringes of contention at Redstone last week, and although he faded into a tie for 16th, he led the field for Greens in Regulation which is usually a good sign that a player's game is in good order. So too is the fact that last week's finish was his fourth top-25 fiinsh in the last few months so we know that he's playing well. And in a field where consistent course form is thin on the ground Tringale has made three out of three cuts at TPC San Antonio, recording two top-10 finishes in the process.