2026 Texas Children's Houston Open

Introduction

The PGA Tour heads to Texas for this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open. It’s a brief two-week stop in the Lone Star State before the season’s first major, The Masters.

With Augusta right around the corner, players will be looking to fine-tune their games, or secure one of the final spots in the field, with a win this week or next.

Course Breakdown, Tournament History & Early Weather Forecast

This week, the PGA Tour heads to the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas. The event serves as one of the final stops before The Masters, giving players a key opportunity to sharpen their games or secure a last-minute spot in the field at Augusta.

Memorial Park Golf Course, which hosts all four rounds, is a par 70 measuring 7,475 yards. Originally designed in 1936, the course underwent a major renovation led by Tom Doak with consultation from Brooks Koepka, reopening in 2019. The redesign transformed Memorial Park into a modern, championship-caliber layout that emphasizes strategy, precision, and thoughtful course management.

Unlike many traditional PGA Tour venues, Memorial Park features wide fairways and a relatively minimal amount of rough, placing less of a premium on accuracy off the tee. However, that does not mean players can simply overpower the course. Instead, the challenge comes from positioning, angles into greens, and avoiding strategically placed bunkers and collection areas that can create difficult up-and-down opportunities.

The course places a strong emphasis on approach play, particularly from mid-to-long iron distances. With several lengthy par 4s and only two par 5s on the scorecard, players will frequently be hitting approach shots from 175 - 200 yards and beyond. Those who excel in strokes gaine approach and proximity from longer distances tend to have a significant edge here.

Memorial Park features Bermudagrass greens that are among the largest on the PGA Tour, averaging over 7,000 square feet. While they are not typically as fast as some other Tour stops, they can be difficult to read due to subtle slopes and runoff areas. Strong lag putting and the ability to avoid three-putts are key components for success.

One of the defining characteristics of Memorial Park is its risk-reward design. Several holes offer players the opportunity to be aggressive, but misses in the wrong spots can quickly lead to bogeys or worse. The par-5 16th hole, in particular, is a pivotal scoring opportunity late in the round, while the closing stretch provides a solid test that can produce swings on the leaderboard down the stretch.

Winning scores at the Houston Open can vary depending on course conditions, but in recent years they have generally fallen in the mid-teens under par range. Recent winners and their scores to par are listed below:

• 2025 - Min Woo Lee (-20)

• 2024 - Stephan Jaeger (-12)

• 2023 - No Tournament

• 2022 - Tony Finau (-16)

• 2021 - Jason Kokrak (-10)

• 2020 - Carlos Ortiz (-13)

• 2019 - Lanto Griffin (-14)

• 2018 - Ian Poulter (-19)

• 2017 - Russell Henley (-20)

• 2016 - Jim Herman (-15)

Overall, Memorial Park rewards well-rounded players who can take advantage of scoring opportunities while avoiding costly mistakes. Distance, elite iron play, smart course management, and strong performance on and around the greens are typically the most important factors in determining success.

The early forecast calls for warm Texas conditions throughout the week, with temperatures expected to rise into the 70s and 80s. Wind is often the biggest defense at Memorial Park, and if it picks up, especially over the weekend, it can significantly increase the difficulty of the course and place an even greater emphasis on ball striking and control.

Field Breakdown

The field for the Texas Children’s Houston Open is solid, though not quite as deep as the elevated events that preceded it on the schedule. Still, several highly ranked players are set to tee it up at Memorial Park Golf Course, including Scottie Scheffler (#1), Chris Gotterup (#10), Ben Griffin (#16), and Harris English (#21).

Several past champions are also returning to compete this week. Min Woo Lee, the defending champion after his victory in 2025, headlines that group. He is joined by Stephan Jaeger (2024), and Tony Finau (2022), giving the field a blend of recent winners and players who have already found success at Memorial Park.

While the Houston Open may not carry the same depth as the Tour’s biggest events, it consistently produces competitive leaderboards and exciting finishes. With a limited number of top-25 players in the field, the door is open for a wide range of players to contend.

Memorial Park’s design continues to reward strong ball-striking and smart course management, and with risk-reward opportunities throughout, especially late in the round, leaderboard volatility should once again be a major factor as players make their final push heading into The Masters.

Outright Betting Breakdown

Min Woo Lee +2000 (Boosted to +3093)

Min Woo ranks seventh in my model this week, and as the defending champion, I’m backing him to go back-to-back at Memorial Park.

He’s put together a strong 2026 campaign, making the cut in all six of his starts. That run includes a runner-up finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, a T6 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and a T12 at The Genesis Invitational. As mentioned, he’s also the defending champion here, winning in his debut appearance at Memorial Park.

Min Woo is an incredibly talented player. He’s one of the longer hitters on Tour, and while his driving accuracy sits slightly below average, it’s not a major concern, especially at a course like this. His iron play is above average, and his short game is a clear strength.

I typically avoid backing defending champions in the outright market given how difficult it is to go back-to-back, but Min Woo is an exception this week.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 10th

• Off-the-Tee: 7th

• Approach: 77th

• Around the Green: 23rd

• Putting: 34th

Chris Gotterup +2450 (Boosted to +3778)

Gotterup ranks first in my model this week and is a name I’ve had circled for this event since the end of last season.

He’s been playing the best golf of his career dating back to late last year, with three wins in his last 15 starts, including two already this season on the PGA Tour at the Sony Open and WM Phoenix Open. He now heads to a course that fits his game well, where he’s posted finishes of T57 in 2024 and an improved T18 in 2025.

Gotterup is a powerhouse off the tee and pairs that with very solid iron play. He’s also reliable around the greens. As is often the case, his results tend to hinge on the putter, which has shown the ability to spike in any given week.

As mentioned, Memorial Park is an ideal setup for Gotterup’s skill set. When you combine that course fit with his recent form, three wins in his last 15 starts, the odds feel more than fair to take a shot on him this week.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 18th

• Off-the-Tee: 23th

• Approach: 27th

• Around the Green: 37th

• Putting: 103rd

Marco Penge +5200

Penge doesn’t rank highly in my model this week, but after his strong showing at the Valspar Championship, he arrives at a course that better suits his long-term skill set. For that reason, he’s likely to be one of the more popular names on outright betting cards.

He’s coming off a T4 finish at the Valspar, with his only other notable result this PGA Tour season being a T16 at The Genesis Invitational. It’s been a slow adjustment to the PGA Tour, but over the past couple of weeks, we’ve started to see flashes of the form he showed on the DP World Tour last season. While he has no prior experience at Memorial Park, his game profiles well for this layout.

Penge’s biggest strength is off the tee, where his elite driving distance gives him a clear advantage. His approach play has been around Tour average overall, though it has been inconsistent this season outside of last week’s performance. The same can be said for his short game, which has been a weakness. Given those statistical shortcomings, it’s not surprising he doesn’t rate well in my model.

That said, the talent is undeniable, and he has the profile of a future PGA Tour winner. With improving form, a course fit that plays to his strengths, and what I see as favorable odds, he’s a worthwhile upside play to consider this week.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 97th

• Off-the-Tee: 1st

• Approach: 140th

• Around the Green: 138th

• Putting: 110th

Ryan Fox +9000

Fox ranks fifth in my model this week and was one of my first clicks in the outright market.

He’s been playing very solid golf to start the 2026 PGA Tour season, finishing inside the top 25 in all four of his starts, highlighted by a T7 at The Genesis Invitational. Fox has also teed it up twice at Memorial Park, posting finishes of T78 in 2024 and an improved T15 in 2025.

This course should suit his game perfectly. Fox is extremely long off the tee, and while accuracy can sometimes be an issue, the wide fairways and non-penal rough at Memorial Park help mitigate that weakness. On top of that, he brings an above-average skill set in approach play, around the greens, and with the putter.

Driving accuracy is typically where Fox can get himself into trouble, but at a venue where that’s less of a concern, it feels like a no-brainer to back the two-time PGA Tour winner on the outright card this week.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 25th

• Off-the-Tee: 49th

• Approach: 75th

• Around the Green: 28th

• Putting: 35th

Sudarshan Yellamaraju +12500

Yellamaraju ranks 24th in my model this week, and for a PGA Tour rookie showing this kind of early success at these odds, he was tough to pass up.

He’s already delivered several spike performances this season, including a T13 at the Sony Open, a T17 at the Cognizant Classic, and most notably, a T5 at The Players a couple of weeks ago. That’s an impressive start for a rookie. While he hasn’t teed it up at Memorial Park before, his strokes gained profile suggests this could be a strong fit.

Yellamaraju has been phenomenal off the tee in 2026, consistently gaining on the field in both driving distance and accuracy. He’s also shown steady gains with his iron play and putter. The one area of concern is around the greens, which could cause issues, but at this price point, you’re rarely getting a complete player.

Given the odds, this is clearly a long shot, but based on what he’s shown so far this season and his underlying metrics, Memorial Park sets up well for him. It’s the kind of opportunity where he could break through for his first PGA Tour win and potentially punch his ticket to The Masters in a couple of weeks.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 23rd

• Off-the-Tee: 36th

• Approach: 28th

• Around the Green: 145th

• Putting: 16th

I personally structure my outright betting cards to target a minimum return of 10x my unit.  In practice, this means I risk a total of one unit across all selections, with each individual bet paying out 10 units if it wins.  For example, if my unit is $100, each outright selection would return $1,000.  This approach aligns with my risk tolerance and ensures that hitting one winner in every ten events allows me to at least break even.

This is simply the system that works best for me.  I strongly encourage everyone to develop an approach that aligns with their own bankroll, risk tolerance, and betting goals.

Daily Fantasy Sports Breakdown

$10,000+ Price Range: Scottie Scheffler ($14,800)

As the only option in this price range, I’ll keep this brief on Scheffler. Given the hefty price tag and what I’d consider underwhelming results so far in the 2026 PGA Tour season, there may actually be an opportunity to play him this week.

Expectations for Scheffler are simply different. At his salary in DFS, you need production that clearly separates him from the rest of the field. In six starts this season, he has one win at The American Express and just two additional top-five finishes. That may sound strong on paper, but relative to his price, it’s fair to view it as slightly disappointing. That said, his course history at Memorial Park is hard to ignore, with three runner-up finishes and a T9 in his last four appearances.

We know what Scottie brings to the table. After addressing the putting issues that once held him back, he’s now elite across the board, off the tee, on approach, around the greens, and with the putter.

I’m not sure I’m fully comfortable paying up for Scheffler, especially if he’s projected to carry significant ownership. However, if his ownership settles in the 20% range by Wednesday night, it becomes very difficult to fade him this week.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 3rd

• Off-the-Tee: 10th

• Approach: 78th

• Around the Green: 5th

• Putting: 19th

$9,900 - $9,000 Price Range: Sam Burns ($9,700)

In this price range, I’m going with the player I expect to be one of, if not the, lowest owned: Sam Burns.

It’s been a mixed bag for Burns during the 2026 PGA Tour season. In six starts, he has three missed cuts, along with a T27 at The American Express, a T6 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and a T13 at The Players Championship. At Memorial Park, he’s posted two T7 finishes along with a withdrawal. While his results this season highlight both a high ceiling and a low floor, his strong course history is something I’m willing to lean on in hopes of catching one of his peak weeks.

Burns brings above-average distance off the tee, solid iron play, and remains one of the best putters on Tour year in and year out. His main weaknesses tend to come with driving accuracy and around-the-green play, where mistakes can creep in.

A five-time PGA Tour winner, Burns has the kind of skill set that translates well to Memorial Park, and there’s a strong case to be made for his upside at this course.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 56th

• Off-the-Tee: 55th

• Approach: 105th

• Around the Green: 142nd

• Putting: 14th

$8,900 - $8,000 Price Range: Wyndham Clark ($8,300)

Another player I’m targeting purely for ownership leverage in this price range is Wyndham Clark.

It’s been a slow and somewhat disappointing start to the 2026 season for Clark. While he’s made 6 of 7 cuts, his only notable result was a T13 at The American Express. That said, his course history at Memorial Park is quietly solid, he’s made the cut in 4 of 5 appearances with two top-20 finishes.

Clark remains one of the longer hitters off the tee and typically grades out around Tour average with his irons and around-the-green play. Driving accuracy has always been a concern, and this season the putter has also been a weakness.

There’s no denying the rough start to the year, but with The Masters approaching, Clark should be motivated to find form. Memorial Park sets up well for him, particularly since driving accuracy is less of a concern here. Given the projected low ownership, he’s an intriguing bounce-back candidate who could deliver a strong finish.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 89th

• Off-the-Tee: 112th

• Approach: 29th

• Around the Green: 40th

• Putting: 147th

$7,900 - $7,000 Price Range: Jordan Smith ($7,400)

“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” One of my few strong calls last week was Smith, so I’m going right back to him here. His ownership will rise, but it should still remain relatively low given his lack of name recognition.

Smith earned full-time PGA Tour status for the 2026 season and has impressed early on. Through seven starts, he’s made five cuts with three top-25 finishes, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Valspar Championship last week. He’ll be making his debut at Memorial Park, a course that should suit his skill set well.

He’s an excellent driver of the golf ball, ranking above Tour average in both distance and accuracy. He’s also been strong on approach, gaining strokes on the field in 19 of his last 25 starts. The short game is the weakest part of his profile and will likely determine his ceiling in any given week.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 41st

• Off-the-Tee: 19th

• Approach: 53rd

• Around the Green: 100th

• Putting: 108th

$6,900 - $6,000 Price Range: Kevin Yu

Bear with me here, because this is the definition of a high-ceiling, low-floor play. If you’re paying up for Scottie Scheffler and need to dip into this range, Kevin Yu stands out as a strong course-fit upside option.

It’s been a rough start to the 2026 season, with Yu making just 2 cuts in 7 starts, those coming at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and last week’s Valspar Championship. I’m encouraged by the small step forward, as his best finish of the season came last week with a T30. He also posted a T18 at Memorial Park last year, which gives him at least some positive course history.

Yu is a true bomber off the tee, and that’s where most of his edge comes from. We’ve seen flashes of strong iron play throughout his career, though it currently sits below Tour average. The putter has long been a major issue and continues to hold him back in 2026.

It’s not a pretty profile, but the ownership should be extremely low. If things click, his length and overall fit at Memorial Park give him a path to making the cut and providing valuable weekend points.

2026 PGA Tour Strokes Rankings:

• Total: 150th

• Off-the-Tee: 98th

• Approach: 128th

• Around the Green: 78th

• Putting: 166th

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