In 1921, San Antonio Evening News sports editor Jack O’Brien read two wire stories back to back: the winner of the U.S. Open had earned $500, and an upcoming prize fight would pay $25,000. That arithmetic built the oldest golf tournament in Texas. O’Brien put an unheard-of $5,000 purse on the line, recruited golf course architect John Bredemus, and in 1922 the first Texas Open was played on the municipal turf of Brackenridge Park — an A.W. Tillinghast design where pros hit off rubber mats with hickory-shafted clubs, and where Scottish-born Bob MacDonald collected $1,500, the richest paycheck in professional golf. Episode 6 of Wise About Golf follows the next 104 years of what is now the Valero Texas Open: the third-oldest tournament on the PGA Tour and the only one played in the same city for its entire existence. Along the way, Tommy Armour drafts the first touring-pro bylaws during a rain delay at Willow Springs, a 17-year-old Ben Hogan enters his first professional tournament and withdraws, Mike Souchak shoots a back-nine 27 that stands for 51 years, Tony Holguin becomes the first Pan American Golf Association member to win on the PGA Tour — on his home course — and Ben Crenshaw wins his very first start as a full Tour member. It is Texas golf history the way it deserves to be told. Listen now.

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