Checking in on PGA, LPGA and LIV a week before the Masters - ESPN

MIAMI — The Masters, the first major championship of the season in men's professional golf, is only a week away.

There's plenty on the line in professional golf this week, including one final invitation to Augusta National Golf Club up for grabs at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, Texas.

Players on both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League who have already qualified for the Masters are trying to get in one final warmup this week. That includes Rory McIlroy, who will attempt for the 10th time to complete the career Grand Slam by winning an elusive green jacket.

LPGA Tour star Nelly Korda is chasing history of her own at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards, which teed off Wednesday in Las Vegas. She'll try to win for the fourth time in as many starts, which would be second most in LPGA Tour history. Only Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) have won five straight tournaments in which they competed.

Here's what to watch in professional golf this week:

Valero Texas Open
When: Thursday-Sunday
Where: TPC San Antonio, San Antonio
Defending champion: Corey Conners
Purse: $9.2 million ($1.66 million to winner)

Last chance for the Masters

There's one more spot available for next week's Masters, and it would go to the winner of the Valero Texas Open if he's not otherwise qualified for the first major championship of the season.

J.J. Spaun (2022) and Corey Conners (2019) were the last PGA Tour golfers to punch their tickets to Augusta National Golf Club by winning the Texas Open. Four of the past six Texas Open champions were first-time winners on tour — Andrew Landry (2018) and Kevin Chappell (2017) won two weeks after the Masters.

Among the highest-ranked players in the field who haven't qualified for the