118 in Texas Open field need to win to get in

All five major professional tours are in action this week as a prelude to the Masters April 10-13

The week before the Masters Tournament is also the busiest golf week of the season so far. 

Every major tour is in action, from Florida to Las Vegas. 

But only one event carries a special prize for the winner — if needed. The Valero Texas Open, which begins on Thursday at the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course, is the last chance for a player not otherwise eligible for the Masters to get an invitation, and there’s no gray area. They have to win to qualify.

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There are 118 players in the field who need to win for a spot at Augusta National. That group includes past PGA Tour winners Gary Woodland, Rickie Fowler, Francesco Molinari, Charley Hoffman, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker. 

Zach Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Jordan Spieth are the past Masters champions in the field this week and among 27 players who are already eligible.

Who are the area players in the Valero Texas Open field? 

First Coast: Ricky Castillo, Bud Cauley, Vince Covello, Lanto Griffin, Philip Knowles, Ben Kohles, Sam Ryder, Alejandro Tosti, Danny Walker. 

Golden Isles: Ben Griffin, Brian Harman, Zach Johnson, Patton Kizzire, Keith Mitchell, Andrew Novak, Paul Peterson, J.T. Poston, Greyson Sigg. 

Purse: $9.5 million ($1,710,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner). 

Defending champion: Akshay Bhatia. 

TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.; Saturday, 1-3:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m.); NBC (Saturday, 3:30-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m.). 

What other Tours are playing this week? 

LIV Golf 

Event: LIV Golf Miami, Friday-Sunday, Trump National Doral. 

Purse: $25 million ($4 million to the winner). 

Defending champion: Dean Burmester. 

Area players: Cameron Smith. 

TV: FOX (Friday, 2-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-4 p.m.); FS1 (Saturday, 2-5 p.m.); FS2 (Sunday, 12-1 p.m.). 

LPGA 

Event: T Mobile Match Play, Wednesday-Sunday, Shadow Creek Golf Course, North Las Vegas. 

Purse: $2 million ($300,000 to the winner). 

Defending champion: Nelly Korda. 

Area players: Auston Kim. 

TV: Golf Channel (Wednesday, 6-9 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, 7-9 p.m.; Saturday, 6-9 p.m.; Sunday, 6:30-9 p.m.). 

PGA Tour Champions 

Event: James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational, Friday-Sunday, Old Course at Broken Sound, Boca Raton. 

Purse: $2.2 million ($330,000 to the winner). 

Defending champion: First-year event. 

Area players: David Duval, Fred Funk, Vijay Singh. 

TV: Golf Channel (Friday, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3:30-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.). 

Korn Ferry Tour 

Event: Club Car Championship, Thursday-Sunday, The Landings Golf and Athletic Club, Deer Creek Course, Savannah. 

Purse: $1 million ($180,000 to the winner). 

Defending champion: Steven Fisk. 

Area players: Tyson Alexander, Samuel Anderson, Dawson Armstrong, Chandler Blanchet, Cody Blick, Sebastian Cappelen, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Nick Gabrelcik, Tano Goya, Luke Guthrie, Evan Harmeling, Russell Knox, Rick Lamb, Marcus Plunkett, Julian Suri, Thomas Waslh.

TV: Golf Channel (Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.; Saturday, 4-6 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30-6:30 p.m.).