TOUR Insider: Valero Texas Open embraces new date

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Chad Campell is one of several Texas residents playing all three weeks of the Texas Swing.

It usually requires a full year for organizers of a PGA TOUR event to get things ready, but Valero Texas Open tournament director Craig Smith didn't have that luxury this year. His crew is putting on its second event in seven months -- not that anyone is complaining.

"It's been a fast and furious seven months," Smith said. "But I feel good about where we're at and where we're going."

The Valero Texas Open, which has been contested since 1922, had its status changed last year. The venerable event, which has been won by greats such as Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Jackie Burke, Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw and Lee Trevino, made the move from the Fall Series in October to a FedExCup points event this week.

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In making the move, the PGA TOUR created a Texas Swing, with three consecutive competitions in the Lone Star State. And now the tournament will be covered on the weekend by CBS. It should get more attention than it had been during the middle of college football season.

"It's been a part of our strategy with Valero and to help grow the overall event," Smith said. "It's great for San Antonio, and it's great to have network coverage of the event."

With its new May date, the Valero Texas Open faced a different set of circumstances. When the tournament was held in the fall, Smith knew he wasn't going to get Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson to compete. So he played to his strength, drawing all the top Texans -- a pretty solid group in itself -- and adding a few others who were looking to make a little extra Christmas money. Zach Johnson played in 2008 and ended a personal slump with a victory. The Pride of Cedar Rapids is back to defend in 2009.

The San Antonio event may not get Tiger or Phil, even with the new date, but Smith is content to start with the Texans like Chad Campbell and Justin Leonard, a pair of 2008 Ryder Cup members, and build the field from there.

Smith has continued to build relationships with the players by showing up at a couple of tournaments and renewing acquaintances on the driving range and locker room. There's no hard sell involved in the process. Smith just wants the players to be aware that the tournament has a new date.

"We're building long-term relationships," Smith said. "And if we don't get players this year, we'll get them next year."

Next year, things change again. The tournament will leave LaCantera Golf Club, which has hosted the event since 1995, and move to TPC San Antonio. The new venue was built with a tournament in mind and includes two layouts, one designed by Greg Norman and one designed by Pete Dye.

In addition to the new venue, Smith is looking for ways to make the tournament a special place for the players and the community. He sees how the Phoenix community has turned the FBR Open into a must-attend event and visualizes how the same transformation is possible in San Antonio.

"It's a bad pun, but we're trying to think outside the ropes," Smith said.

Officials have had no trouble drumming up excitement among the community and the volunteers. More than 1,400 raised their hands to spend a week holding up the Quiet Paddles, dispensing range balls, or working in the parking lot.

"And most of those volunteers were the same ones who worked our event seven months ago," Smith said.

One thing that hasn't changed, however, is the tournament's charitable focus. It has been among the most charitable tournaments on the PGA TOUR; last year, it contributed a record total of $8.5 million to charity. In fact, it was that success of charitable giving that became one of the primary reasons for the move to the TOUR's Regular Season.

Good to know that charity can sometimes go rewarded.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily reflect the views of the PGA TOUR.