Former Cowboys Miss Cut At Valero Texas Open

It was a short week this week for the former Cowboys playing in the Valero Texas Open.  During a crazy first couple of days where the course came out victorious, the two Cowboys in the field fell victim to the unrelenting Texas winds.  It was the kind of week that made average golfers feel a little better about themselves, although I don't want to know the kinds of things that course would have done to me after seeing the scores these guys shot.  Occasionally you'll see a few scores in the 80's, but it's not often you see 31(!), which is what we saw in the opening round in San Antonio.  When it was all said and done on Sunday, only ten players were under par with Jimmy Walker claiming his second victory of the season and staying atop the FedEx Cup standings.

I suppose all good things must come to an end.  Charles Howell III missed the cut after making 9 consecutive cuts coming into the tournament.  It was a streak that I didn't see coming to an end any time soon, but he was hit with some bad luck when tee times were assigned.  On a gusty Texas morning that saw no players who teed off in the morning wave shoot under par, Howell fired a 7-over 79.  Surprisingly he was still within reach of making the unusually high cut (+6, one of the highest cut lines you will see outside of a major), but he couldn't get things turned around on Friday and fired a 2-over 74 to miss the cut by 3.

Bo Van Pelt was also in the field this week, and the Hill Country winds decided his fate as well.  After a 5-over 77 in round one, he was inside the cut line heading into Friday, but a few bogeys on his opening nine Friday put him in a position that was difficult to come back from.  With a 3-over 75, he continued the trend he has been setting of shooting a lower score on day 2, but it just wasn't enough to see the weekend.

It was a tough week for the Cowboys (and most everyone else), but they should come back strong.  These two will most likely be in the field next week at the Shell Houston Open as they try to make a final push to get into The Masters.  It should be a fairly strong field as many will be getting in their final tune-up before the season's first major, but a win will secure an invitation to Augusta.