Houston Open: Golf Odds And Predictions
Golfers are superstitious and very much stick to their routines when possible. Thus, many of the big names will play the week before a major championship to sharpen their games, while several others don’t like to do so. Phil Mickelson famously likes to play. Tiger Woods doesn’t. Lefty is in the field at this week’s Houston Open, while Woods isn’t.
Houston Open Background
This tournament is really all about next week’s Masters. Tournament organizers set up the Golf Club of Houston’s Tournament course, which is a par 72 measuring 7,441 yards, to mimic Augusta National as much as possible. Among other things, that means very tough greens. In addition, one spot is held open at the Masters for the winner of the Houston Open if not already qualified for Augusta. Four of the past five years, this winner punched a ticket to the Masters.
Anyone who was in the Top 50 of the world rankings as of Monday has automatically qualified for the Masters – poor Ian Poulter was wrongly told by a group of reporters during the Match Play that he was in the Masters field. He wasn’t and then was routed. Had he won just one more match, he would have been. Poulter is in the field this week as is former Masters champion Ernie Els, who also hasn’t qualified. Steve Stricker, Bill Haas, Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker and Charles Howell III are some other big names yet to qualify who are playing this week.
The defending champion is Russell Henley, rallying from four strokes down last year on Sunday by shooting a 7-under 65 to win by three. He made 10 birdies in the round. The American is +3400 on Sports Interaction golf odds to repeat.
Houston Open Odds Favourites
Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler lead the way on the betting odds at +1000 each. Rose is coming off back-to-back Top 5 finishes on the Florida Swing in Orlando and the Tampa Bay area. He was T15 in Houston last year. Fowler also skipped the Match Play and was 14th last time out at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has three Top 10s in Houston, including T3 last year.
Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson are each +1100 with Henrik Stenson at +1200 and then a large drop-off to the next tier of guys. Spieth lost in a three-man playoff in Houston in 2015 but then won the Masters. He missed the cut last year. Spieth finished 17th at the Match Play as did Mickelson. Lefty won here in 2011. Stenson skipped the Match Play and has three Top-3 finishes in Houston but yet to win.
Canadian Golfer Odds
Among Canadians, Corey Conners is +13400, Nick Taylor +25000, Ben Silverman +30000 and Mackenzie Hughes +35000. Conners played last week in the opposite-field event in Puerto Rico and was 13th. He debuts here as does Silverman, who has missed his past two cuts. Taylor has missed his past two cuts on Tour and has was T44 here last year. Hughes, last finishing 54th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, was T23 last year in this event.
No Canadian has won the Houston Open.
Houston Open Golf Predictions
Recommend Stenson and Rafael Cabrera Bello for Top 10s, but the winning choice is Daniel Berger at +2800. He didn’t advance last week at the Match Play, but that just means more rest. He’s having a solid season otherwise and has been fifth here the past two years.