Valero Texas Open 2012 Preview: Brendan Steele, Matt Kuchar Headline Field

Defending champion Brendan Steele and 15th-ranked Matt Kuchar headline a relatively weak field for the 2012 Valero Texas Open at the Greg Norman-designed Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas.

Steele is grouped with rookie Bud Cauley and Kevin Na, who infamously posted a 16 on the par-4 ninth hole during the 2011 Valero Texas Open. Steele, Na and Cauley will tee off at No.1 at 1:40 p.m. ET on Thursday and from No. 10 at 8:40 a.m. ET on Friday. Kuchar, who placed 44th at last week's RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, is grouped with Johnson Wagner and K.J. Choi for the first two rounds, teeing off on the No. 10 tee at 8:40 a.m. ET on Thursday and at 1:40 p.m. ET on the first tee on Friday.

With many big-name golfers skipping the event, Wagner sees the Texas Open as an opportunity to move up the FedEx Cup standings, the Associated Press reports.

''It's weaker than most of our fields out here. But the purse is huge and the golf course is tough and takes a lot of local knowledge - it takes experience to play well here,'' Wagner said on Wednesday. ''When picking this spot on my schedule, I tagged it as a possible contention spot.''

Three-time champion Justin Leonard leads a group of three Texans that will be grouped together for the first two rounds. Leonard, Ryan Palmer and Harrison Frazar tee off at No. 1 at 1:50 p.m. ET on Thursday and from No. 10 at 8:50 a.m. ET on Friday.

A full list of tee times for Valero Texas Open is available at pgatour.com.