With the PGA Tour shutting down for the Holiday break in a few weeks players have two opportunities remaining to collect valuable FedExCup points starting this week at the Houston Open. Following three weeks abroad the Tour returns to U.S. soil with a strong field ready to attack Memorial Park Golf Course. One might think having a hand in the property’s redesign a few years ago would give Brooks Koepka a headstart. Koepka is near the top of odds board, but he’s not THE favorite for the outright. That honor belongs to Sam Burns, though the odds suggest it’s anybody’s game. Coming off his runner-up finish in Mexico, Carlos Ortiz returns to defend his title and is featured in several matchups. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Houston Open Matchup Odds
Sam Burns -125 vs. Scottie Scheffler -105
Sungjae Im -120 vs. Cameron Smith -110
Matthew Wolff -120 vs. Talor Gooch -110
Tyrrell Hatton -110 vs. Brooks Koepka -120
Tony Finau -125 vs. Joaquin Niemann -105
Adam Scott -115 vs. Aaron Wise -115
Patrick Reed -125 vs. Jason Kokrak -105
Marc Leishman -115 vs. Carlos Ortiz -115
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +100 vs. Maverick McNealy -130
Lanto Griffin -110 vs. Seamus Power -120
Russell Henley -135 vs. Mackenzie Hughes +105
Max Homa +110 vs. Cameron Tringale -140
Shane Lowry -130 vs. Erik van Rooyen +100
Harold Varner III -120 vs. Mito Pereira -110
Sebastian Munoz -115 vs. Branden Grace -115
Gary Woodland -120 vs. Kevin Streelman -110
Cameron Davis -105 vs. Jason Day -125
Jhonattan Vegas -120 vs. Chad Ramey -110
Chez Reavie +115 vs. Brian Harman -145
Ryan Palmer -110 vs. Emiliano Grillo -120
C.T. Pan -125 vs. Danny Willett -105
Matthias Schwab +105 vs. Charley Hoffman -135
Ian Poulter -140 vs. Harry Higgs +110
Joel Dahmen -140 vs. Lee Westwood +110
Taylor Pendrith -140 vs. Stewart Cink +110
Need to Know
Houston is one of the PGA Tour’s longest-running host cities with this tournament returning to Memorial Park last year for the first time since 1963. Ahead of its return, the municipal course underwent a facelift with input from Brooks Koepka with bunkers, trees and water removed. The idea was to make the course playable for the public while still presenting enough of a challenge for the pros. At 7,412 yards the course is 20 yards shorter than last year’s edition with the par-3 ninth hole responsible for the cutback. Memorial Park proved to be one of the most difficult par 70 tracks on Tour last year with a scoring average of 71.03. Water comes into play and tricky slopes on and around the greens could make things difficult. Unfamiliar, bumpy greens require accuracy on approach, but distance off the tee will shrink the layout for big hitters.
Houston Open Matchup Picks
Max Homa +110 vs. Cameron Tringale
I searched the matchups hard for value picks and this one is the best I could find. That’s not a knock against the players rather just the right price for Homa. He hasn’t played much this season, but Homa made it count by winning the Fortinet Championship in September. A month later he teed it up in the CJ CUP and was in line for a good finish until a closing 75. He hasn’t played since. Homa is familiar with Memorial Park from last year when he went the distance to finish in the top 50. He rebounded from an opening 74 to finish the last 54 holes at 5-under.
Carlos Ortiz -115 vs. Marc Leishman
Ortiz couldn’t stop Viktor Hovland from defending his title in the Mayakoba last week finishing as runner-up. He’ll get his chance to successfully defend this time around. It’s not easy to win the same tournament two years in a row, but watching Hovland do it has to be inspiring. And Ortiz should be feeling less pressure now that he’s out of his native Mexico. A shoulder injury that put him on the shelf for a while appears to be fine and Ortiz masterfully navigated Memorial Park last year going 68 or lower in all four rounds with a closing 65 to win by two swings.
Aaron Wise -115 vs. Adam Scott
Wise is 4 for 4 this season placing among the top-15 in his last three starts. An opening 63 last week should’ve led to better things alas he couldn’t keep it up and slipped into a tie for 15th. Before that he had a pair of top-10s in the CJ CUP and Shriners putting him as one of the most consistent players in the first part of the season. He played Memorial Park last year with four red numbers earning him a share of 11th.
Tyrrell Hatton -110 vs. Brooks Koepka
It’s hard to go against Koepka, who consulted on the redesign of Memorial Park a few years ago and finished last year with a pair of 65s to earn a share of fifth. But it’s been a struggle lately punctuated by a MC in Mexico last week and a return to Texas isn’t going to be enough to shake him from the malaise. Hatton meanwhile didn’t do too shabby here last year with a T7 and has been closer to the top of the leaderboards. He has four top-20s in his last seven starts with a T2 at the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last month.
Sungjae Im -120 vs. Cameron Smith
I’m counting on Im remembering how to golf after a few weeks off. For a guy who never rests the break is rare, but well deserved. Hopefully the interruption doesn’t affect the momentum he had. Im has scored 70 or lower in all 12 rounds this season winning the Shriners after an opening 63. He followed that with a T9 in the CJ CUP where he closed with a 64. His price is right about at my cutoff so I’ll back Im without hesitation.
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