The Valero Energy Foundation and the Valero Texas Open staff are well into preparations for this year’s Valero Texas Open PGA Tour tournament, which takes place from March 26-29 at the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, and then is followed up by the annual Benefit for Children on Monday, March 30.
 
The Valero Texas Open is one of the largest professional sporting events to take place annually in San Antonio and is the longest-running tournament on the PGA Tour that has been held in the same city. The Benefit for Children combines a unique golf event for more than 2,000 players with morning and afternoon golf outings on 11 of San Antonio’s top courses with a sporting clays shooting tournament that is growing so quickly in popularity that it will take place this year at the National Shooting Complex west of San Antonio.

Combined, the Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children events raise millions of dollars each year for children’s charities. Last year’s total topped $9 million, and this year, Valero is seeking to achieve its “Drive to $100 Million” landmark. Since Valero took over the title sponsorship in 2002, more than $90 million has been raised, and this year could be the year that the $100 million mark is surpassed.
 
It takes a tremendous amount of work to put on the event each year – including the efforts of more than 1,300 volunteers – but it’s worth it. The Valero Texas Open has been the top fundraising event on the PGA Tour for the past several years.
 
Funds for charity are raised through sponsorships, and they are distributed to children’s charities in all of the areas where Valero has major operations in the proportions that those areas raised funds. Valero employees in those areas form committees to choose worthy charities to receive the funds. Last year in San Antonio, nearly 100 children’s charities received a share of the funds allocated as a result of the tournament.
 
PGA Tour players completing who have already committed to playing this year include six of the world’s top 25 players, all vying for a winner’s purse in excess of $1 million – not to mention the tournament’s crowning touch, a custom-made pair of cowboy boots to remind the champion of his success in Texas.
 
Ticket packages for the upcoming 2015 Valero Texas Open are already on sale at http://www.valerotexasopen.com