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Greens slightly larger and faster than PGA Tour average
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Zalatoris 18/119.00 can eclipse 'Big Two' in Houston
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Mackenzie 45/146.00 a serious e/w contender
Tournament and Course Notes
• First staged in 1946, the Houston Open is one of the longest-running events on the PGA Tour calendar. This week's venue, Memorial Park, has staged the tournament 17 times. This includes a gap of almost six decades between 1963 and 2020. The last three Houston Opens (all played at Memorial Park) were held during November, but the tournament now returns to its familiar spring date;
• And to enable this date change to happen, there was no Houston Open in 2023, meaning a wait of over 16 months for this season's March instalment. Located in one of the largest urban parks in the United States, this week's venue has long been heralded as one of the leading public courses anywhere in the country;
• Starting out as a nine-hole venue 112 years ago, the course was completely re-designed by John Bredemus in 1936. It was renovated again in 1995 at a cost of $7m, and it was here where former PGA Championship winner and broadcaster Dave Marr learned to play golf;
• Further renovations were carried out five years ago under the watchful eyes of architect Tom Doak and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, ahead of its return to PGA Tour status in 2020;
• This included the widening of some fairways, although the rough was toughened up to compensate. The comprehensive redesign brought ravines and water into play, while reducing the number of bunkers from 54 to 19;
• Located three miles west of downtown Houston, and approximately 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, Memorial Park is a parkland layout which covers an area of 250 acres. It has Bermuda grass fairways and undulating putting surfaces which are slightly larger and faster than the PGA Tour average. Water, meanwhile, comes into play on just five holes.
Latest betting for this week's Houston Open
Good Current Form
The two highest-ranked pros teeing-up this week, also happen to be the golfers who have accumulated most World Ranking points during 2024.
Scottie Scheffler 11/43.75, the world No 1 who is chasing a third straight victory on the PGA Tour, has banked more than 200 points since January 1st.
World No 4 Wyndham Clark 12/113.00 has collected over 150 points, thanks to a victory at Pebble Beach, along with a brace of runner-up finishes during March.
Only one other golfer (Matthieu Pavon) has even reached 100 points over the opening 12 weeks of 2024.
Scheffler, meanwhile, has teed-up three times at Memorial Park, where he stood on the podium three years ago.
Will Zalatoris 18/119.00, who missed around nine months of Tour action last year due to injury, continues his 'comeback' this week.
The former No 7 has made an impressive return by posting a brace of top-four finishes in two of this year's PGA Tour 'Signature Events'
Zalatoris is probably one of the few golfers taking part who would feel comfortable taking on Scheffler and Clark in Houston.
Further down the food chain, for those seeking an each-way option, is world No 82 Taylor Montgomery 80/181.00.
The 29-year-old is currently second in the Strokes Gained: Putting category and this particular skill could be useful on Memorial Park's undulating and slippery Bermuda grass greens.
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Good Course Form
Another strong e/w candidate is Canadian Mackenzie Hughes 45/146.00 who tied-third in Florida on Sunday.
Hughes has teed-up three times at Memorial Park where he has finished 16-29-7.
There may also be some e/w value in Stephan Jaeger 40/141.00 who has twice finished top-three this season, and was ninth in Houston 16 months ago.
The defending champion this week is world No 30 Tony Finau 20/121.00. The American has a season-best finish of tied-sixth at Torrey Pines.
Stroke Averages
Lowest Six At Memorial Park (2020-22)
Average .... (Rounds)
68.30: Tony Finau (10)
68.50: Joel Dahmen (8)
68.63: Alex Smalley (8)
68.75: Scottie Scheffler (12)
68.88: Aaron Rai (8)
69.00: Mackenzie Hughes (12)
Min. No. of Rounds = 6 Only those entered this week are included in table
Note: List Contains Leading Reserves
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