Houston Open

The Houston Open 2024 will take place at Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas. This golf course is difficult to pigeon hole with various types of games winning here since it took up hosting duties four years ago.

Houston Open Tips

  • 2pts each-way J.Day  25/1  (1/5 8) Paddypower, WilliamHill
  • 1.5pts each-way J.Knapp  45/1  (1/5 10) Coral, Ladbrokes
  • 1pt each-way R.Fox  90/1  (1/5 8) 888sport
  • 0.75pt each-way H.Springer  250/1  (1/5 8) Skybet
  • 0.5pt each-way H.Springer First Round Leader  150/1  (1/5 6) Skybet
  • 0.75pt each-way N.Dunlap  350/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Betuk
  • 0.75pt each-way P.Harrington  275/1  (1/5 8) Paddypower
  • 0.5pt each-way N.Xiong  400/1  (1/5 8) Paddypower, Skybet

 

Dustin Johnson was the second longest driver in the field when finishing runner up back in 2020, whilst the last three winners have all ranked inside the top 20 in that statistic.

Finau hit the most fairways in the field when he won back in 2022 but looking at the other contenders and winners that year and the other years it certainly doesn't seem to matter all that much whether you're accurate from the tee or not.

The club that has mattered the most over the last number of renewals has been the putter. 2nd, 3rd and 5th have been the rankings of the three winners here on the greens and it looks impossible to compete here unless you're one of the top ten performers with the flat stick on the week. 

Below are the stats for the golfers who finished at the top of the leaderboard for the 2022, 2021, and 2020 Houston Opens.

If you consider that Scheffler is a general 9/2 shot for the Masters in a few weeks, the 3/1 on the exchanges available for this week's Houston Open must be strongly considered. My reason for not betting him lies in the putting stats for previous winners and contenders here.

Finau ranked 2nd in putting when he won whilst two others in the top five were inside the top 10. Finau also made tremendous gains from tee to green so it goes to show you also need a performing putter here.

Kokrak ranked 3rd on the greens when he won, and runner up Tway ranked 2nd. Back in 2020 five of the six inside the top 5 were ranked in the top 10 for putting during the week.

Scheffler, although putting much better in recent weeks, may not reach those heights and that's why I believe he should be opposed and we'll back our selections with him included in the market.

Houston Open Previous Winners & Winning Score

  • 2022 - T.Finau (-16)
  • 2021 - J.Kokrak (-10)
  • 2020 - C.Ortiz (-13)
  • 2019 - L.Griffin (-14) *Houston Golf Club
  • 2018 - I.Poulter (-19)*Houston Golf Club

 

Jason Day at 25/1 (Eight Places)

Kurt Kitayama is a tough one to strike off the list this week and he'd be next in line if I had another pick, but preference is for Jason Day who can land a win here this week and suddenly become a major contender for the Masters in a few weeks time.

Day has been slightly frustrating to follow with the last time I backed him missing the cut at Torrey Pines, a course he has form on before. Two top tens followed that effort at Pebble and Riviera and having won the Byron Nelson last year at 23 under par he has the tools to take course apart also.

36th and 35th at Bay Hill and Sawgrass were fair efforts, especially given his iron play wasn't quite up to scratch those two weeks. This is a much weaker affair than those two events and Day has the ability with the putter to outperform most of the field.

Should there be a small upturn in his iron play then he should find himself in the mix here at the weekend and 25/1 looks a fair price.

2pts each-way J.Day  25/1  (1/5 8) Paddypower, WilliamHill

Jason Day - 2pts e/w @ 25/1

Jake Knapp at 45/1 (10 Places)

Jake Knapp won in Mexico, a year after Finau had won there, and I'm backing him to follow up with the same feat here in Houston with Finau the last winner here in 2022.

Knapp was hugely impressive in the way he won at Vidanta, squandering a four shot lead with nerves clearly on show, only to hold it together on the back nine with some clutch up and downs. That is a driver heavy golf course and having gone well at Torrey Pines it was no surprise he took to that course in Mexico.

He showed his versatility by going close at PGA National next time out but it was a busy period and after a week off he may just be refreshed to take apart another course that suits the longest hitters.

By no means is Knapp as accomplished as Zalatoris, but looking at the putting statistics of previous years I'd much rather take a chance on the consistency of Knapp with that club at 50/1+ rather than get involved with Zalatoris below 20.

1.5pts each-way J.Knapp  45/1  (1/5 10) Coral, Ladbrokes

Jake Knapp - 1.5pts e/w @ 45/1

Ryan Fox at 90/1 (Eight Places)

Tyson Alexander is worth a second glance in the market seeing he won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in Texas. Ryan Fox hasn't put his best foot forward on the PGA Tour to date but it must be said plenty of the venues may not have been perfect for his game.

Memorial Park suits much better and it's a venue where he can get away with stray driving. He is a grip it and rip it type golfer and I didn't have Wentworth down as one of the venues that he'd win on.

Nevertheless he's a streaky player and when he gets hot he can beat almost anyone in the game. Fox stands a much better chance here on a course that demands a good putter and long driving. He needs to bounce back from some poor results but I'd say he's playing slightly better than what those results suggest. 

1pt each-way R.Fox  90/1  (1/5 8) 888sport

Ryan Fox - 1pt e/w @ 90/1

Hayden Springer at 250/1 (Eight Places)

Hayden Springer followed up a couple of Canadian Tour victories by gaining his PGA Tour card at the Q School in December and has since only missed one cut and that was at the American Express where he shot 11 under par through three rounds and was 5th after round one.

Since then it has been plain sailing for Springer making four weekends on the trot and landing a 3rd placed finish in Puerto Rico. He was 6th after round one at the Valspar last week so with two top six finishes in five starts a small bet on the first round lead is necessary also.

If you thought the Malnati story was wholesome last weekend, if Springer won this weekend there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house. He lost his three year old daughter in November last year and his success on the golf course since can partly be attributed to a new perspective. 

0.75pt each-way H.Springer  250/1  (1/5 8) Skybet

0.5pt each-way H.Springer First Round Leader  150/1  (1/5 6) Skybet

Hayden Springer - 0.75pts e/w @ 250/1
Hayden Springer - 0.5pts e/w @ 150/1

Nick Dunlap at 350/1 (Six Places)

It's possibly a little far fetched to suggest Nick Dunlap might win twice on the PGA Tour within a couple of months but with the places on offer from prices ranging between 200-350/1 I am prepared to take a chance that this season takes an even more ridiculous turn.

Dunlap defied the odds to win in the Californian Desert and ever since he has been slightly up against it playing at Pebble Beach, Riviera, PGA National, Bay Hill and Sawgrass. He was seeing those for the first time in tournament golf also which can't help.

Now he arrives at a course that gives much more grace to wayward drives and approach shots and if he manages an upturn with his irons he may just figure once again.

He did a lot of winning as an amateur just prior to winning on the main stage, and the market may have just underestimated him once again seeing expectations must have been low enough on those tough venues that followed his victory. 

0.75pt each-way N.Dunlap  350/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Betuk

Nick Dunlap - 0.75pts e/w @ 350/1

Padraig Harrington at 275/1 (Nine Places)

400/1 is available for Padraig Harrington and following his victory last week at the Hoag Classic he is an interesting outsider.

It would be some feat to overcome this field though and I'll edge on the side of it being slightly out of reach, but the triple Major champion has plenty of class to make his presence felt here this week and similar as to when Mickelson won the PGA as a Senior you maybe can't put it past the Irishman.

Harrington's character only seems to grow on the Champions Tour and players who have done something special in the game previously have a knack of pulling something out of the fire before their spikes are hung up.

Harrington comes here full of confidence following his win last week and he still has plenty of power off the tee to compete. I didn't expect such a big price here this week and it forces me into a small each way bet.

0.75pt each-way P.Harrington  275/1  (1/5 8) Paddypower

Padraig Harrington - 0.75pts e/w @ 275/1

Norman Xiong at 400/1 (Eight Places)

Norman Xiong was a 500/1 shot when teeing it up at Torrey Pines a couple of months ago and although Scheffler tees it up here, this field isn't anywhere near as deep as that and it renders the 400/1 very backable.

The start of the month saw him land his first top ten on the PGA Tour in Puerto Rico and his effort in the Valspar was fair enough on a course that doesn't suit the long hitters. This is much more up his street with the length he has off the tee and his weakness in approach play may not matter here as much as other courses.

Tway finished runner up here in 2021 ranking 51st on approach, whilst Kopeka was 5th in 2020 ranking 54th in the same department. Xiong hits the ball a mile, and he putts very well, a solid combination for Memorial Park. 

0.5pt each-way N.Xiong  400/1  (1/5 8) Paddypower, Skybet

Norman Xiong - 0.5pts e/w @ 400/1