It’s an exciting week in South Texas. TPC San Antonio opened in January and is playing host to the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open. Former Open Champion and Ryder Cup hero Justin Leonard is a three-time winner in the Alamo City. Will his success continue at the new venue? We asked TPC San Antonio PGA Director of Golf Jimmy Terry that question and more.

PGA.com: Thanks for joining us, Jimmy. This is the first year TPC San Antonio will host the Valero Texas Open. What’s the excitement level like right now?

Terry: There is great excitement in the San Antonio, Texas Hill Country community. TPC San Antonio and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa opened in January, celebrated our Grand Opening in March and now host the Valero Texas Open in May. The excitement for the resort, TPC San Antonio and our two golf courses has been growing each and every month. We expect great crowds and exciting competition this week. The Valero Texas Open has a rich tradition and history as one of the longest running, most charitable events on the PGA Tour. The opportunity to host this wonderful event for the first time here at TPC San Antonio is truly an honor.

PGA.com: Previously, the tournament was played at a real shot-maker’s course at La Cantera. What type of a course is TPC San Antonio? Is it a place that will benefit the bombers or the shot makers?

Terry: TPC San Antonio has two world-class golf courses designed by two World Golf Hall of Fame members. The AT&T Canyons course is designed by Pete Dye and PGA Tour Player consultant Bruce Lietzke. The Valero Texas Open will be played on the AT&T Oaks Course, designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman and PGA Tour Player consultant Sergio Garcia.

The AT&T Oaks course reflects a departure from the modern tournament style course many of your readers are familiar with at other TPC clubs, which typically featured expansive grass areas and spectator mounding. Our course is the next generation of TPC courses and features a very natural look and feel, without sacrificing the fan experience making it very tournament friendly.

Norman’s design philosophy for this course blends environmental sensitivity with a deep reverence for nature. Framed by magnificent stands of mature live oaks in a pristine natural setting, we believe players will find the course is as beautiful as it is challenging. The traditional design is a strong test. The course is very walkable for players, caddies and spectators. The course features artistic and dramatic bunkering which reflects a natural, rugged “minimalist” look with the outer edges emulating the canopy of the native oak trees. Although the course can measure more than 7,400 yards in length, I do not believe the design favors a particular type of player. We look forward to seeing who ends up atop the leaderboard on Sunday.

PGA.com: Can you talk a little about Justin Leonard? He’s a three-time winner in San Antonio. I would imagine it’s always nice to have a Texas guy win the Texas Open—especially a major champion and a Ryder Cup hero like Leonard.

Terry: Any tournament on Tour would love to count Justin Leonard as its champion. He has had a wonderful career as both an amateur and professional. Justin’s Open Championship win places him among the long list of great major champions from Texas. I believe there have been more major champions from the state of Texas than any other—Hogan, Nelson, Burke Jr., Demaret, Trevino, Crenshaw, Kite, just to name a few. We expect great things from Justin anytime he visits San Antonio.

PGA.com: If a player is to win at TPC San Antonio, what’s the one facet of his game that’s going to have to shine above the rest? Is it going to be a putting contest like we see at a lot of other events? Or is there more to it than that?

Terry: It will be much more of a total test than many of the courses players face. The AT&T Oaks course requires players to be on top of every aspect of their game. The length of the course coupled with somewhat narrow, intimate tree-lined fairways demand both distance and accuracy off the tee. Most green complexes are protected by deep, cavernous bunkers, some framed by exposed limestone faces, which makes hitting greens a big factor as well. The greens require a deft touch for both pitches and putts. It is easy to see players will have to excel in all areas.

PGA.com: Last question for you, Jimmy. As the Director of Golf, you’re a busy man in the build up to the tournament. Can you tell our readers something they might be surprised to know about what you have to do in preparation for the event?

Terry: It gets a little hectic and busy as the event arrives, but I am very blessed to have the opportunity to play a small part of such a great, charitable event. I think most readers would be surprised just exactly how many people and man hours it takes to prepare for and host the event. Perhaps the most unusual thing I have been asked to do for this year’s event is to serve as the Master of Ceremonies at the Oak Farms Dairy Pro-Am pairings party on Tuesday evening. I have a bit of history with the Southern Texas PGA as an MC so this will be a lot of fun.

By T.J. Auclair, Interactive Producer