Taking the place on the PGA Tour’s schedule of the former WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, the Texas Children’s Houston Open takes center stage this week.
Once part of the PGA Tour’s Fall Series and since last year, has found a new home on the PGA Tour’s schedule in late March to fill the void of the form WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
This will also be the second year that the event operates under the title sponsorship of Texas Children’s Hospital.
Most recently, the event operated under the sponsorship of Cadence Bank for just one year in 2022 (there was no event in 2023 as the event made its move from the fall to the spring on the schedule.) Prior to Cadence Bank’s one year run as the event’s sponsor, this tournament operated under the sponsorship of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2021, Vivint in 2020 and went unsponsored in 2018 and 2019. It endured a sponsorship with Shell from 1992 to 2017.
With the list of recent changes to the event, the course remains the same as this year’s event will be played once again at the Memorial Park Golf Course. This will be the fifth consecutive year that the public course in Houston, Texas has hosted the event.
The Field
With just three weeks until the Masters Tournament and just two events, many of the Tour’s best will be using this week as a final tune-up.
Included is World No.1 and Texas native Scottie Scheffler who was part of a five-man group of runner-ups to winner Stephen Jaeger a season ago.
Joining him is the defending THE PLAYERS and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champion and now World No. 2 Rory McIlroy.
Six other golfers within the Top 25 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR,) bringing the total to eight, will be joining Scheffler and McIlroy this week. That list includes Wyndham Clark (8th,) Maverick McNealy (17th,) Sahith Theegala (22nd,) Sungjae Im (23rd,) Aaron Rai (24th) and J.J. Spaun (25th.)
Ten others within the top 50 of the OWGR and 25 within the top 75 will be teeing it up this week.
This will be one of the strongest regular season event fields we’ll see all season.
Jaeger comes in as the defending champion, holding off a slew of runner-ups by a stroke to claim his maiden PGA Tour title a season ago. The list of runner-ups includes Scheffler, Thomas Detry, Tony Finau, Taylor Moore and Alejandro Tosti.
Other former winners of this event teeing it up this week include Finau (2022) and Lanto Griffin (2019.)
The Course
Memorial Park Golf Course is actually a public course that sees upwards of 30,000 rounds played by amateur golfers each year.
The course was overhauled in 2019 by Tom Doak who used Brooks Koepka to consult on.
Koepka’s influence is present as this course now plays much like that of a major event. The course emulates major conditions with its combination of length and difficult green-side runoffs.
It was in disrepair and was on the verge of losing its place on the Tour until the revitalization came along.
Memorial Park Golf Course now plays as a long par 70 at 7,412 yards and will test every aspect of each golfer’s game.
It plays very untraditionally with five par threes and just three par fives. Although there is a decrease in the number of par fives, they still play crucial in any potential winner’s game.
The par threes too play long at this course, as that is the case for everything at this golf course.
The only real chance at consistent birdies here come on the par fives and as previously mentioned, must be capitalized on for anyone hoping to win.
Approach play will be key here, especially with the long-iron approach shots. The course on paper already plays long but plays even longer than what it advertises.
Half of the ten par-fours featured this week play over 490-yards as well.
Only five holes on this golf course feature a scoring average under par. The five 490-plus yard par-fours and the 237 yard par-three are the most difficult holes on this course.
Even looking back to the 2021 and 2022 playings of this event at Memorial Park, the shortest par-three, par-four and par-five each played with a scoring average over par as well.
There isn’t much in terms of bunkers, water hazards or out-of-play areas, but the thick rough that too offers difficult lies can derail any hole.
Due to Koepka’s influence, this course features major-esque greenside run-off areas that will see greens hard to hold. Due to this, golfers must come with a competent around-the-green game this week as well.
Greens in regulation will be crucial as well, simply because any hopeful winner cannot leave any strokes out on the course.
Recent run of form will be hard to use this week as the conditions and type of course is unlike anything we’ve seen on Tour. However, last week’s Valspar Championship is relatively similar to this week’s event.
In all, golfers will be facing firm conditions, tight runouts around the green and the unpredictable gusting Texas winds that all make this golf course play much more difficult than the scorecard may suggest.
The Weather
We saw a significant wave advantage last week at the Valspar Championship and that could be the case this week as well. Forecasts are currently calling for a 75-percent chance of precipitation on Friday, with most of it coming in the afternoon. The mid-morning hours will see the lowest chance on Friday. Thunderstorms are also currently forecasted for Friday, set to begin in the later-afternoon. Thursday currently calls for a 25-percent chance of precipitation but is projected to have the highest winds at 19 miles-per-hour. Friday is calling for 18 miles-per-hour winds. Both Saturday and Sunday are calling for a 25-percent chance of precipitation with Saturday calling for 17 miles-per-hour winds and Sunday 16 miles-per-hour winds. Temperatures will begin on Thursday at 78-degrees before dropping to 76-degrees on Friday, the lowest of the week. Temperatures will rebound to 82-degrees on Saturday before peaking at 84-degrees on Sunday. In all, the weather, at this point, will have its say in who wins this week.
Key Stats
Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)
Ball Striking
Average Driving Distance
Proximity to the Hole from 200-Plus Yards
Par Five Average Scoring
Strokes Gained: Around the Green
Scrambling
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermuda)
Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%)
Par Three Average Scoring
Bogey Avoidance
DFS Suggestions
$10,000+
A full $1,000 cheaper than Scottie Scheffler, we’re kicking things off with the hottest man in all of golf (figuratively not literally) in Rory McIlroy ($11,700.) I see the allure of Scheffler being in his home state and, well, it’s Scottie Scheffler. But McIlroy has been the best golfer on Tour so far this season and you’re getting him at $1,000 cheaper. Can’t beat that. McIlroy has played in four events so far this season, winning two of them (THE PLAYERS Championship and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.) He also placed 15th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and 17th at The Genesis Invitational. He is currently fifth on Tour in average driving distance, eighth in scrambling, 16th in SG: APP, 29th in par three average scoring, 30th in bogey avoidance, 31st in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 33rd in par five average scoring, 52nd in both SG: ATG and SG: PUTT Bermuda and 101st in ball striking. He’ll be making his course debut here this week.
$9,000-$9,900
We’re leading this price range off with the man who took McIlroy to a playoff at THE PLAYERS Championship and was one-more-revolution of a golf ball away from winning that tournament in J.J. Spaun ($9,900.) Of golfers who have played at least six-of-the-13 events so far this season, only Patrick Cantlay (six events) and Russell Henley (seven events) have a better average placement than Spaun (eight events.) Outside of placing second at THE PLAYERS Championship, he too was the runner-up at the Cognizant Classic and placed third at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He’s also placed 15th at the Farmers Insurance Open, 29th at The American Express, 31st at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, 33rd at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and 34th at The Genesis Invitational on the season. He’s played this event twice over the last four years in which it’s been hosted at Memorial Park Golf Course, placing 36th a season ago and 46th in 2022. Spaun is currently second on Tour in SG: APP, eighth in bogey avoidance, 15th in GIR%, 21st in ball striking, 39th in par three average scoring, 51st in par five average scoring, 54th in average driving distance, 69th in scrambling, 83rd in SG: ATG, 100th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards and 114th in SG: PUTT Bermuda. He is also on my betting card at +3500. Also consider Davis Thompson ($9,400.) Tread lightly, Thompson has gained traction on the betting side of things as one of the early favorites among handicappers. Either way, I much prefer him in DFS this week. Thompson most recently placed tenth in his last outing at THE PLAYERS Championship. On the season he has also finished 13th at The Genesis Invitational, 36th at the WM Phoenix Open, 36th at The Sentry Tournament of Champions, 51st at The American Express and 58th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He has played this event each of the past two seasons, placing 21st a season ago and 43rd in 2023. Thompson is currently eighth on Tour in ball striking, 20th in scrambling, 21st in SG: ATG, 22nd in par five average scoring, 34th in GIR%, 41st in bogey avoidance, 58th in average driving distance, 60th in par three average scoring, 100th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 126th in SG: APP and 145th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards.
$8,000-$8,900
First up in this middle price range is 2025 DFS darling Michael Kim ($8,700.) Kim is currently second on Tour in bogey avoidance, fourth in scrambling, 11th in SG: ATG, 27th in SG: APP, 33rd in par five average scoring, 38th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 68th in GIR%, 75th in ball striking, 80th in average driving distance, 85th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards and 101st in par three average scoring. Kim missed the cut at THE PLAYERS Championship but bounced back with a 28th place finish at last week’s Valspar Championship. Prior to that, he had a run of form unmatched by anyone on Tour this season. He placed fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, sixth at the Cognizant Classic, 13th at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, 13th at The Genesis Invitational and second at the WM Phoenix Open. He’s played this event three-of-the-last-four seasons, placing 64th last year, 47th in 2023 and missing the cut in 2021. Also consider Taylor Pendrith ($8,500.) Pendrith is currently third on Tour in ball striking, fifth in par five average scoring, 13th in GIR%, 37th in average driving distance, 40th in SG: APP, 50th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 55th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 111th in bogey avoidance, 143rd in scrambling, 145th in par three average scoring and 151st in SG: ATG. We last saw Pendrith at THE PLAYERS Championship where he placed 38th. He did miss back-to-back cuts at the Cognizant Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational but prior to that placed 50th at The Genesis Invitational, ninth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, seventh at the Farmers Insurance Open, 45th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and 13th at The Sentry Tournament of Champions. He’s played this event each of the last three seasons, placing 36th last season, 66th in 2023 and missing the cut in 2022.
$7,000-$7,900
Nicolai Hojgaard ($7,400) is my first choice here. Now, he has missed back-to-back cuts at the Valspar Championship and THE PLAYERS Championship coming into this week but prior to that placed 18th at the Cognizant Classic, eighth at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld and 36th at the WM Phoenix Open. Hojgaard is currently eighth on Tour in GIR%, 13th in par three average scoring, 15th in both SG: APP and ball striking, 24th in bogey avoidance, 29th in average driving distance, 66th in par five average scoring, 72nd in both proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards and SG: PUTT Bermuda, 102nd in SG: ATG and 139th in scrambling. He’ll be making his course debut here this week. Also consider Sam Ryder ($7,300.) Ryder has not missed a single cut in the eight events he’s played so far this season. He’s fresh off a 16th place finish at last week’s Valspar Championship and also placed 14th at THE PLAYERS Championship as of late. Other season highlights include a 21st at the Sony Open in Hawaii and 25th at the Farmers Insurance Open. Ryder is currently 13th on Tour in both par three average scoring and bogey avoidance, 16th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 24th in scrambling, 38th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 45th in GIR%, 47th in SG: APP, 57th in ball striking, 86th in average driving distance, 108th in SG: ATG and 112th in par five average scoring. He’s played this event three-of-the-last-four seasons, making the cut last year and missing the cut in both 2022 and 2021. Ryder is also on my betting card at +13000.
$6,900-
Leading off this final price range we have Kevin Roy ($6,800.) Roy is currently fourth on Tour in ball striking, 12th in bogey avoidance, 20th in GIR%, 25th in par five average scoring, 33rd in scrambling, 35th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 43rd in average driving distance, 60th in par three average scoring, 83rd in SG: APP, 129th in SG: ATG and 171st in SG: PUTT Bermuda. Roy has missed back-to-back cuts coming into this week at the Valspar Championship and THE PLAYERS Championship but prior to that he placed sixth at the Puerto Rico Open, 17th at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld, 18th at The American Express and 45th at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He played this event once prior, missing the cut in 2023. Also consider Charley Hoffman ($6,900.) Hoffman is currently 18th on Tour in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 23rd in SG: APP, 29th in scrambling, 34th in average driving distance, 42nd in par five average scoring, 43rd in ball striking, 73rd in bogey avoidance, 83rd in GIR%, 98th in SG: ATG, 151st in SG: PUTT Bermuda and 160th in par three average scoring. Hoffman comes into this week making the cut at his last two appearances by placing 54th at THE PLAYERS Championship and 25th at the Cognizant Classic. He also placed fifth at The American Express and 25th at the Farmers Insurance Open this season. He’s played this event twice over the last four seasons, missing the cut in 2023 and placing 29th in 2021.
Betting Card
J.J. Spaun (+3500)
Wyndham Clark (+3500)
Min Woo Lee (+4000)
Taylore Moore (+6500)
Sam Ryder (+13000)
Wyndham Clark (+3500)
The value for Clark was too much to leave on the table. He is currently 20th on Tour in average driving distance, 36th in SG: ATG, 44th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 51st in par five average scoring, 71st in GIR%, 74th in ball striking, 81st in bogey avoidance, 101st in par three average scoring, 103rd in scrambling and 120th in SG: APP. The approach numbers for Clark are not what we have come to expect. However, he did gain on approach (although slightly) at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In his last outing, Clark withdrew mid-way through THE PLAYERS Championship, citing a neck injury. With two weeks of rest and his willingness to play this week, I’d assume that his neck is doing fine. Prior to THE PLAYERS Championship, he placed 22nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, 31st at The Genesis Invitational and 16th at the WM Phoenix Open. He’s also played this event each of the last four seasons, placing 31st last year, 16th in 2023, 41st in 2022 and missing the cut in 2021.
Min Woo Lee (+4000)
Lee has had a great start to his 2025 season. Outside of a missed cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a 48th at The Genesis Invitational, he has four other top 20 finishes. He most recently placed 20th at THE PLAYERS Championship, 11th at the Cognizant Classic, 12th at the WM Phoenix Open and 17th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He is currently third on Tour in average driving distance, ninth in SG: ATG, 22nd in scrambling, 27th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 39th in par three average scoring, 44th in bogey avoidance, 57th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 69th in ball striking, 96th in par five average scoring, 116th in GIR% and 144th in SG: APP. The approach numbers are a bit worrisome but he did gain 0.549 strokes-per-round on approach at THE PLAYERS Championship and 0.264 strokes-per-round at the Cognizant Classic. It’s promising he has the finishes he does with poor approach play. His irons will come around and the rest of his game is excellent.
Taylor Moore (+6500)
Moore was in the extended-group of runner-ups here a season ago to winner Stephan Jaeger. He also played here in both 2023 and 2022 where he missed the cut. Moore has been great to start his 2025 campaign. He’s made the cut in seven-of-nine events, all in which came between the two missed cuts (Sony Open in Hawaii and Valspar Championship.) His season has been highlighted by a seventh place finish at The American Express, ninth at the WM Phoenix Open and 22nd at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He is currently 11th on Tour in par five average scoring, 19th in SG: ATG, 32nd in average driving distance, 34th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 48th in GIR%, 58th in bogey avoidance, 83rd in scrambling, 92nd in par three average scoring, 118th in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards and 123rd in SG: APP.
Jake Knapp (+8000)
This is late add but I kept my card short prior. Either way, I have talked myself into Knapp this week. He is currently 19th on Tour in proximity to the hole from 200-plus yards, 42nd in par five average scoring, 43rd in average driving distance, 53rd in both SG: APP and par three average scoring, 58th in bogey avoidance, 70th in GIR%, 78th in scrambling, 94th in SG: PUTT Bermuda, 99th in ball striking and 121st in SG: ATG. Knapp missed the cut last week at the Valspar Championship but prior to that placed 12th at THE PLAYERS Championship, sixth at the Cognizant Classic, 25th at the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld and 17th at The Genesis Invitational. He's played here just once prior, missing the cut a season ago.
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