MacIntyre Leads Valero Texas Open 2026 by Four After 64; Aberg Four Back
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Robert MacIntyre sits alone at the top of the leaderboard at the Valero Texas Open 2026, 14-under through 36 holes after a Friday 64, four clear of Ludvig Aberg at 10-under. Instead, Bud Cauley, Tony Finau, Thorbjorn Olesen, and Kevin Roy are bunched together at 9-under in a four-way tie for third. Notably, six players share seventh place at 8-under, keeping the chasing pack within striking distance heading into the weekend.
Loading leaderboard…
Saturday morning brings cloudy skies with an ESE wind at 15-20 mph, gusting to 30, at TPC San Antonio. By contrast, afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible as temperatures climb to 87. That matters because players drawing early tee times will face the toughest wind conditions — afternoon starters could see delays if storms move through.
Round 2 Recap — Valero Texas Open 2026
Strokes Gained (SG)
MacIntyre Rewrites the TPC San Antonio Record Book
MacIntyre’s 64 on Friday was more than a good round. In practice, his 36-hole total of 130 is the lowest opening two-round score since the Valero Texas Open moved to TPC San Antonio in 2010. That number matches his second-lowest 36-hole total anywhere on tour — a figure he previously posted at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, which he won.
As we noted in our Valero Texas Open preview, MacIntyre entered the week with the iron play to separate himself on this course. On the flip side, friday confirmed it. The numbers show His SG: Tee to Green ranked first in the field across both rounds at +9.37. His SG: Approach came in at +6.43, also first in the field.
MacIntyre converted a 36-hole lead into a win once before — at that 2024 Canadian Open. Beyond that, he finished second the other time he led after 36 holes, at the 2025 BMW Championship. Worth noting: he now holds a four-shot edge, one shy of the largest 36-hole margin since TPC San Antonio took over hosting duties.
The Full Leaderboard
| Player | Position | Score | Back | Win % (Live) | Top 5 % (Live) | Top 10 % (Live) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacIntyre, Robert | 1 | -14 | 0 | 53.2% | 88.6% | 95.3% |
| Aberg, Ludvig | 2 | -10 | 4 | 12.3% | 55.9% | 74.3% |
| Cauley, Bud | T3 | -9 | 5 | 3.3% | 29.6% | 50.3% |
| Finau, Tony | T3 | -9 | 5 | 4.1% | 33.1% | 53.9% |
| Olesen, Thorbjorn | T3 | -9 | 5 | 3.6% | 31.9% | 53.2% |
| Roy, Kevin | T3 | -9 | 5 | 2.8% | 27.6% | 48.0% |
| Fisk, Steven | T7 | -8 | 6 | 1.2% | 16.5% | 34.1% |
| Hisatsune, Ryo | T7 | -8 | 6 | 2.4% | 25.2% | 45.7% |
| Parry, John | T7 | -8 | 6 | 1.3% | 17.7% | 36.1% |
| Putnam, Andrew | T7 | -8 | 6 | 1.5% | 19.6% | 39.4% |
| Ryder, Sam | T7 | -8 | 6 | 1.1% | 15.0% | 31.4% |
| Smalley, Alex | T7 | -8 | 6 | 1.9% | 21.3% | 40.4% |
| Fleetwood, Tommy | T13 | -7 | 7 | 3.0% | 28.6% | 50.1% |
| Kim, Michael | T13 | -7 | 7 | 0.8% | 11.8% | 26.4% |
| Bauchou, Zach | T15 | -6 | 8 | 0.2% | 5.6% | 15.3% |
Projections powered by DataGolf data
Top Contenders — Where Each Leader Stands
Robert MacIntyre
SG: Putting +2.78 (17th/132)
SG: Off the Tee +2.25 (7th/132)
MacIntyre dominated Friday with every club in his bag. His SG: Approach ranked first in the entire field, and his SG: Off the Tee checked in seventh. Even his putting contributed positively at +2.78, ranking 17th. That combination explains why his SG: Total came in at +12.16 — more than four strokes clear of the next man.
Ludvig Aberg
SG: Putting +0.40 (56th/132)
SG: Off the Tee +2.12 (9th/132)
Aberg is the clearest threat to MacIntyre, and his numbers back that up. In addition, his SG: Off the Tee ranked ninth in the field — a strength that plays well at TPC San Antonio. His SG: Approach came in 13th. Notably, he holed out for eagle with a sand wedge from 120 yards on the par-4 sixth hole Friday — his sixth eagle on a par-4 in 63 Tour starts. “I feel great,” Aberg said. “For me, golf is about putting yourself in situations where you can win tournaments.”
Tony Finau
SG: Putting +3.16 (13th/132)
SG: Off the Tee +1.94 (12th/132)
Finau’s strength through 36 holes has been his putter. That matters because his SG: Putting ranked 13th in the field at +3.16 — the best of anyone in the top five. His SG: Off the Tee also checked in 12th. “It was nice to make an eagle on the last,” he said after Friday’s round. At 4.1% win probability, he sits just above Olesen and just behind Aberg among the chasers.
Rest of the Top 10
The Crowded Middle of the Board
Thorbjorn Olesen holds a share of third at 9-under despite a negative SG: Approach on Friday at -0.56. His putter carried him — SG: Putting ranked 15th in the field. The edge we flagged in Wednesday’s market analysis on Olesen’s driving holds up at +1.77, ranking 16th. Still, winning from here likely requires a bounce-back from his irons.
Kevin Roy sits at T3 as well, but his profile comes with a catch. Still, his SG: Approach was third-best in the field at +5.36, and his SG: Off the Tee ranked fifth at +2.27. However, his SG: Putting ranked 110th at -2.19. A putter that cold rarely holds up over a weekend.
Meanwhile, Bud Cauley quietly posted the fourth-best SG: Approach in the field on Friday at +4.36. He sits at T3 at 9-under and carries a 3.3% win probability — a number that could move quickly with another strong iron day on Saturday.
Ryo Hisatsune, Alex Smalley, Andrew Putnam, Steven Fisk, John Parry, and Sam Ryder all share seventh at 8-under. For example, of that group, Putnam’s SG: Approach ranked sixth in the field at +4.27. For example, hisatsune checked in at 21st. Consider this: Tommy Fleetwood and Michael Kim sit two further back at T13 at 7-under. Fleetwood’s SG: Approach ranked eighth in the field — he is alive at 3.0% win probability, higher than anyone else outside the top seven.
Weekend Storyline
Can Anyone Close the Gap on Saturday?
MacIntyre’s four-shot lead looks commanding on paper. However, this course has teeth — and Saturday’s wind and potential storms add a degree of unpredictability. Most importantly, his 53.2% win probability reflects both the cushion and the remaining risk.
History Favors the Lefties at TPC San Antonio
MacIntyre is seeking to become the third consecutive left-handed winner at the Valero Texas Open 2026. Instead, Akshay Bhatia won in 2024. In practice, Brian Harman won in 2025. Both were lefties. Both held leads going into the weekend. The pattern is notable — though MacIntyre still has 36 holes to play.
MacIntyre Came Here on Purpose
This is only MacIntyre’s second start at this event. In addition, he skipped it last year to go straight to Augusta. “I didn’t play last year, just went straight into Augusta,” he said. “This was an adjustment for that reason. Still, I wanted to be sharp — or sharper — going into Augusta.” That mindset, with the Masters one week away, puts added weight on every remaining shot.
Roy’s Putter Could Be the Wild Card
Roy owns two of the best two-round SG numbers in the field for approach play and driving. However, his putting ranked 110th on Friday. In a tight Saturday round, that gap between ball-striking and putting could cost him strokes — or, if he fixes even half of it, he jumps back into the conversation.
Things to Watch
1. Can MacIntyre’s approach play hold up in the wind? His SG: Approach of +6.43 was historic through 36 holes. Saturday’s ESE gusts to 30 mph will test whether his iron play is repeatable or whether Friday was a peak performance.
2. Will Aberg’s putting stay neutral or fall off? His SG: Putting ranked 56th on Friday — functional, not dominant. Additionally, his approach and driving are both elite. If his putter heats up at all, he has the game to close four shots.
3. How does Olesen’s iron play respond? He reached T3 on the strength of his putter and driver despite losing ground with his irons. Furthermore, a course this demanding usually requires all three. His Saturday approach game is the number to watch.
4. Does Roy’s putting correct itself? His ball-striking through two rounds has been among the tournament’s best. Nevertheless, -2.19 in SG: Putting is difficult to overcome for a full 72-hole result. Even a modest correction on Saturday would move him up the board.
That matters because follow the live scoring at the PGA Tour leaderboard and dig into the full model at DataGolf.
BetTheRent publishes analysis and commentary for informational purposes only. Nothing on this site constitutes financial, legal, or sports betting advice. Please gamble responsibly.