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Defending champ Bryant returns to Texas Open

Golf

SAN ANTONIO - A year ago, Bart Bryant was looking for
his first PGA Tour victory. This year, he's the headliner at
the Valero Texas Open.

With the Presidents Cup attracting most of the top players in
the world, Bryant is the leading money winner in the field and
begins defense of his title at LaCantera Golf Club when the $3.5
million event starts Thursday.

Last year, Bryant won his first career title here and set the
course record with a 10-under-par 60. He had no bogeys over his
final 49 holes on his way to a three-stroke victory over
Patrick Sheehan.

Bryant also joined Loren Roberts and Tommy Armour III as the
third straight 40-something winner here. He won the Memorial in
June but will be looking to regain his form as he has missed
four of seven cuts since.

Joining Bryant in the field are Nick Price, two-time champion
Duffy Waldorf, Steve Elkington and Tom Kite.

Waldorf won here in 1995 and 1999. His second victory came via
the 13th and most recent playoff in the long history of the
event as he birdied the first extra hole to edge Ted Tryba.

The Resort Course at LaCantera Golf Club is a 6,896-yard, par-70
layout. Tommy Armour III set the tournament record of 26-under
254 in 2003.

"It's not particularly long, so if your iron game is in good
shape, these greens are really beautiful. I mean, they're
rolling so nicely," Price said. "So if you get them rolling on
the greens with the putter, the sky is the limit.

"I think Tommy Armour told me not long after he won here two
years ago that it's probably the best he'd ever putted in his
life, and when you shoot that kind of score you've obviously got
to make a lot of 15, 20-footers. That's what the winner will
do this week."

First prize is $630,000.

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