The Masters may be right around the corner, but first the PGA Tour must make a quick stop in the Lone Star State. The 2024 Houston Open returns to the playing schedule this year after being an omission in 2023 and welcomes a star-studded field to Memorial Park Golf Course.
Leading the way is none other than the world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. A winner at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship, the Texan returns to his home state with all the momentum in the world at his back. Scheffler has been by far the best player in the world in 2024 and looks to expand the gap between himself and the rest of the competition with another victory this week.
2024 Houston Open Odds
Odds as of March 26
The man who has posed as Scheffler’s biggest threat the past month has been the reigning U.S. Open champion, Wyndham Clark. Clark is listed at +1200 far behind the +300 price tag on Scheffler and looks to spearhead the list of challengers that includes the likes of Sahith Theegala, Will Zalatoris, Tony Finau and Jason Day all of whom find themselves below +3000 to win the Houston Open.
Houston Open Expert Picks
Scottie Scheffler To Win (+300): Scheffler is not only the best player in this field, but he is also the best player in this field by a wide amount.
The two-time winner this season leads this field in total strokes gained, strokes gained tee-to-green, strokes gained off the tee, strokes gained approach while checking in at third in strokes gained around the green this calendar year. He is gaining roughly one stroke more than Clark per round meaning he is a full four strokes better than the second-best player over the course of an entire tournament.
Having played at Memorial Park three times prior, the Texan has shown his affinity for the golf course in his home state with a couple close calls. Those close calls should turn into a victory this week given his current form, current confidence and the current status of his new mallet putter that helped him win at Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass.
Sahith Theegala To Win (+1800): Theegala has transformed into a whole new player ever since claiming his first PGA Tour event this past fall at the 2023 Fortinet Championship.
The American has shot out the gates in 2024 with a runner-up result at The Sentry and top 10s at the WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship. He has catapulted himself into the conversation of being a top-five American player and a win this week would solidify his name in this discourse.
Theegala ranks third in strokes gained putting, third in strokes gained total and eighth in strokes gained tee-to-green over the last three months. He has improved massively in terms of driving accuracy and if this carries over to Memorial Park this week, Theegala and his iron play will thrive.
Si Woo Kim To Win (+3000): The South Korean raced to the finish line at the Players Championship en route to a T-6 result. He gained nearly four strokes per round on the field and was the culmination of plenty of consistent play in 2024.
Kim should continue on this upward trajectory as he had previously rattle off top 25s at The Sentry, the American Express, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the WM Phoenix Open. Over this time, Kim ranks fourth in this field in total strokes gained, third in strokes gained tee-to-green, sixth in strokes gained off the tee, 12th in strokes gained approach and third in driving accuracy.
While has only experienced modest success at Memorial Park, Kim did gain more than eight strokes on approach in 2022 and that should lead to similar numbers this time around if Kim brings the rest of his well-rounded game.
Kurt Kitayama To Win (+5000): Last season’s Arnold Palmer Invitational winner has the eye of someone who is close to performing his best.
Kitayama arrives in Houston following a top-20 finish at the Players Championship where he gained nearly four strokes off the tee and another five with his iron play. This is starting to become a trend for Kitayama as his ball striking led him to a top 10 at the WM Phoenix Open and a top 25 at the Sony Open in January.
Since the beginning of January, the American ranks 13th in this field in total strokes gained, 11th in strokes gained off the tee, 12th in strokes gained off the tee and 14th in strokes gained approach. Possessing a similar skillset as Finau – who claimed the trophy the last time this tournament took place in 2022 – Kitayama will have an outside shot to win especially if his putter heats up.
Taylor Moore To Win (+8000): Moore leaned on a final-round 66 at the Valspar Championship to cash in on his best result of the season. Finishing inside the top 15, Moore finally put the entirety of his game together and may roll that into more of the same this week at the Houston Open.
Moore has not had great success around Memorial Park, but he shows up this time as one of the most consistent players in the game. The one-time PGA Tour winner has not missed a cut in 2024 and has made significant strides both on approach and around the green which could lead to his second career win this week.