Shell Houston Open PGA Golf Odds And Predictions

There are currently 94 golfers invited to play in next week’s first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Masters at Augusta National in Georgia. The 95^th and final invite will go to the winner of this week’s PGA Tour Houston Open if said player hasn’t already qualified. The Sports Interaction golf odds betting favourite in Houston is American Jordan Spieth at +653, and he has no worries about his Masters status.

Shell Houston Open Odds and Background

This tournament, staged at the Golf Club of Houston, was moved to its current spot in the annual schedule a week ahead of the Masters 10 years ago. In an effort to lure as many top players as possible – some simply don’t like playing in tournaments the week before a major – organizers try to replicate the conditions the pros will see at Augusta. That largely means the fairways will be trimmed like the Masters (it’s not that important to land in the fairways because the rough isn’t deep) and the undulating greens will be extremely fast and difficult – 13 or higher on the Stimpmeter.

Four times in the past 10 years a player has competed in the Houston Open and then won a green jacket the next week. They were Spieth in 2015, South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel in 2011, American Phil Mickelson in 2010 and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera in 2009. But only two Houston Open winners have finished among the Top 15 at the Masters over that span: Hunter Mahan (12^th at Masters) in 2012 and Anthony Kim (third) in 2010.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson had planned to play in Houston. He withdrew on Monday after winning the WGC-Match Play Championship in Austin on Sunday. It was Johnson’s third straight tournament victory and he’s the +500 Masters favourite now at Sports Interaction. DJ played 112 holes last week over seven rounds so it’s not a huge surprise he is passing this week. His game certainly doesn’t appear to need any fine-tuning at the moment. Johnson was third at this tournament last year and fourth in 2013.

Spieth was my pick to win last week’s Match Play as he knew the course in Austin better than anyone as a former University of Texas star. Spieth didn’t make it out of group play after going 1-1-1. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady posted on social media Monday a picture of he and Spieth a couple of others playing at Augusta National. Spieth is the +653 favourite this week. He was 13^th in Houston last year and a co-runner-up in 2015 to J.B. Holmes.

Young Spaniard Jon Rahm is a +1100 second-favourite. He lost in the championship of the Match Play to Johnson 1 up. Rahm was 5 down through just eight holes but staged a big comeback. Alas, Rahm wasn’t able to get up-and-down on the 18^th hole to tie. It was the 22-year-olds’s fourth Top 5 finish in his past five events. He hasn’t played this tournament previously.

Henrik Stenson (+1200), Rickie Fowler (+1200) and Justin Rose (+1700) round out the favorites. All three of those guys skipped the Match Play. Stenson finished runner-up in Houston to little-known American Jim Herman last year by a shot. The Swede also was second in 2013 and third in 2009. Herman is +10300 to repeat.

Canadian Golfer Odds

No Canadian has won the Houston Open. The top-ranked player in the country, Adam Hadwin, is sitting out this week following his wedding. He will be at Augusta.

David Hearn is +15500. He played last week at the opposite-field Puerto Rico Open and was 17^th. Hearn’s best finish in Houston was sixth in 2011. He was 46^th a year ago.  Mackenzie Hughes is +20400. He comes off a missed cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and hasn’t played this event. Nick Taylor is also +20400. He missed the cut last week in Puerto Rico and was 46^th in Houston last year as well.

Houston Open Predictions

For a Top-10 finish, take Stenson, 2011 champion Phil Mickelson and 2015 winner Holmes. The winning pick at +2300 is American Russell Henley, a true “Horse for the Course.” He has finished seventh or better in Houston the past three years.