Preview & Picks: The Houston Open

The Texas Swing, if you could call it that, really sits in an unfortunate position on the TOUR schedule.

It fits right in between the Florida Swing and The Masters, and as a result, the fields just aren’t that compelling. The Houston Open is usually bolstered by Scottie Scheffler, who likes to compete in his home state, but not this year.

Yesterday, he made a surprise WD, because he and his wife are expecting their second child.

Good news for the Schefflers, and good news for everyone else in the field too. With Scheffler out, the favorites are last years champ, Min Woo Lee, along with Chris Gotterup, Jake Knapp, and Brooks Koepka.

Memorial Park, which Brooks Koepka helped redesign a few years ago, is a bombers course. Notice how all of those betting favorites have that in common?

Field Notes

  • Putting has been the biggest separator – SG: Putting shows the highest correlation (~0.65), which is notable. On a course where scoring gets low (around -1.1 avg), players who can convert birdie looks and avoid mistakes on the greens tend to separate.

  • Approach play still matters a lot – SG: Approach is right behind (~0.58 correlation). With a large share of shots coming from 125–200+ yards, strong iron players continue to have a clear edge.

  • Distance > accuracy off the tee – Driving distance (~0.20) outpaces accuracy (~0.15), suggesting Memorial Park rewards length more than precision. It’s relatively forgiving, so players can lean on power without being overly punished.

The Details

Previous Winners

How To Watch:

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Weekly Bets: Houston Open

We’ve partnered with Keith Stewart at Read The Line to share his weekly golf betting picks with the Caddyshanks crew. If you’re the type who enjoys breaking down matchups, spotting trends, and hunting for value, you’ll feel right at home in the RTL community. Join Here.

Keith Stewart’s Picks

Nicolai Højgaard (+2800 BetMGM)

Here we go again. Nicolai Højgaard ranks eighth in approach, thirty-sixth around the greens, and seventeenth with the putter. He has plenty of ball speed and also sits inside the top 18 for par 3 and par 4 scoring among players in Houston. We’re looking for a bomber who can scramble, chip, and putt. Let’s not go beyond one of the Wonder Twins. I’m keeping Nicolai on my card for another week because I believe he can win.

Ryan Fox (+6700 DraftKings)

Ryan Fox is gaining in all aspects of his game over his last six starts. 2026 has been good to the Kiwi, with four top 25s in four PGA TOUR starts this season. Fox is primed to close out another tournament when we find the right fit. Memorial Park’s mid-iron requirement, short game successes, and positive putting skill set match Fox’s player CV. Ryan finished T15 last year in Houston with one bad round. Be sly and grab Foxy further down the odds board.

Caddyshanks Picks

Chris Gotterup (+2050 Draftkings)

With Scheffler out, we’re going back to the well once more with Gotterup. Between him and Cam Young, you’re looking at the two best breakout candidates of the year.

Brooks Koepka (+2500 Draftkings)

The major concern with Brooks right now is his putter, but the rest of his game has been really solid. If he can get the magic wand working, he should be in contention come Sunday.

Aldrich Potgieter (+8000 Draftkings)

The young man is an absolute bomber, and this field feels like it could be one that gives way to a longshot winner. Why not take a flyer?