World No. 2 Jordan Spieth +685 and Houston resident Patrick Reed +2000 headline a field that includes five out of the top 10 in the official world rankings and 12 of the top 25. This is the best field that the tournament has produced in years.
Other notables scheduled to compete include Rickie Fowler +1475, Phil Mickelson +1850, Louis Oosthuizen +2150, Charl Schwartzel +2800, Henrik Stenson +1400, Dustin Johnson +16500 and Sergio Garcia +3050.
Defending champion J.B. Holmes +2600 is also ready to give it a go. Last year, Holmes used a closing round 64 to force a playoff with Jordan Spieth and Johnson Wagner. He calmly parred the first playoff hole to secure the victory.
Golf Club of Houston - Tournament has been the host venue since 2006 and the track measure 7,441 yards and plays to a par 72. The 2005 Rees Jones design, is the lead-in venue for the Masters and earns praise for its ability to replicate Augusta National’s setup. The players love it! Built across a wooded landscape in Houston’s suburbs, Jones took care to preserve the natural lakes and wetlands throughout the layout. The greens will be rolling at 13 on the Stimpmeter which could be faster than the surfaces at the Masters. Fast!
A Masters berth awaits the winner if he isn’t already in the field. It has happened, in fact, three times in eight years since Augusta National restored the automatic PGA TOUR winners’ invitation in 2008. Matt Jones took advantage two years ago, preceded by D.A. Points and Johnson Wagner.
TV Coverage: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. ET - Golf Channel. Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. - GC, 3-6 p.m. - NBC.
Current Shell Houston Open Odds at BookMaker Sportsbook:
Jordan Spieth +685
Henrik Stenson +1400
Dustin Johnson +1500 FADE
Rickie Fowler +1475
Phil Mickelson +1850
Patrick Reed +2000
Sergio Garcia +3050
J.B. Holmes +2600
Louis Oosthuizen +2150
Charl Schwartzel +2800
Brooks Koepka +2800
Graham DeLaet +7000
Jimmy Walker +4050
Retief Goosen +18700
Scott Brown +8750
Charles Howell III +7075
Charley Hoffman +7100
Daniel Berger +8000
Jason Kokrak +8000
Scott Piercy +8050
Steve Stricker +9750
Cameron Tringale +7100
Harris English +8500
Hunter Mahan +17250
John Huh +11250
Jonas Blixt +11200
Keegan Bradley +7250 FADE
Kevin Chappell +7000
Patrick Rodgers +8750
Patton Kizzire +8000
Rafa-Cabrera Bello +6750
Ryan Palmer +7300
Tony Finau +5750
Freddie Jacobson +11850
Gary Woodland +9750
Lee Westwood +18200 FADE
Matt Jones +9250
Shane Lowry +9200
Thongchai Jaidee +15700
Aaron Baddeley +12250
Adam Hadwin +12250
Anirban Lahiri +13550
Ben Martin +18050
Brendan Steele +8000
Jamie Lovemark +6700
K.J. Choi +10550
Russell Henley +11050 FADE
Sean O’Hair +18000
Vaughn Taylor +18050
FIELD - Any other player +575
ODDS ANALYSIS
Let me first give you a player to FADE this week. Dustin Johnson +1500 never plays well in Houston! He’s missed three of four cuts. Johnson will have his mind on Augusta and once again disappoint his fans with another lackluster performance in Houston.
Patrick Reed +2000 is very familiar playing in Houston - he lives there! Reed showed some game last week at the WGC - Dell Match Play losing to Dustin Johnson in the round of eight. Reed is due to pick up his first victory of the year and what better place to do it then at home in front of all your family and friends.
The horse for this course has to be Henrik Stenson. The Swede often times comes in under the radar which is perfect for his quiet demeanor. In four starts in Houston, he’s 4 for 4 with a pair of top three’s. He will thrive on the wide driving areas allowing him to take advantage of his elite ball-striking, Stenson wins his first event in over a year. Take Stenson in the weekly golf betting matchups.
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker sportsbook. The Shell Houston open is scheduled for March 31 - April 31, 2016. Golf Club of Houston will host the tournament. NBC and the Golf Channel will televise the event live.
