(GOLF) Houston Open Preview and Betting Tips
Shell Houston Open:
Texas is the home for this week's PGA Tour event as the players head to Houston. With The Masters just a week away, many of those playing on the biggest stage are playing this week in order to get some final practice in before the biggest week of the year. The field is therefore stacked, with Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose just a few that will tee it up this week. The course is a par-71 measuring 7,457 yards. Scoring is usually low with scores regularly eclipsing 15 under par. Although usually a marquee event due to it being a week before the Masters, players with less prestige on tour tend to do well; with Jim Herman, D.A Points and Matt Jones all lifting the trophy in the past 5 years.
Last Year:
Jim Herman would go into the final round with the 54-hole lead. The American was 179th in the world rankings and without a win. It looked as if he would be under a lot of pressure to achieve victory for the first time on the PGA Tour, with Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson being just a few names that were breathing down his neck. But a final round 68 sealed the deal. Not only was Herman a PGA Tour victory, but he also sealed entry into the Masters for the following week. Although he would miss the cut at Augusta the following week, these two weeks will undoubtedly be regarded by Herman as the best of his life.
In this article, I will examine both player form and course form of ever player in the field. Using this information, I will then come to a judgement of who I think will be the top six players to look out for in the upcoming event.
Phil Mickelson - 20/1:
The 2011 Champion been exemplary here in the past and should feature near to the top of the leader board again in this year's edition. The 2011 Champion has not finished outside the top 17 here in six years. He's also gearing up nicely for the Masters: in the last two World Golf Championships he has finished in a T7 in Mexico whilst also recording a quarter-final appearance at the Match Play last week.
J.B Holmes - 28/1:
Holmes is one of those players who are not considered the very best in the game but can do damage week in, week out on the PGA Tour. The four-time PGA Tour champion has only played three times in the past five events here but has still recorded a T8 in 2012, a T12 in 2014 and a victory in 2015. Prior to his group stage exit last week, he had been a model of consistency having finished in the top 35 in 10 consecutive starts.
Russell Henley - 33/1:
Henley is a two-time champion on the PGA Tour and given recent form it looks like he may add to that tally very soon. He's made eight cuts in his last nine starts with six of them going for top 25 finishes. He also has great success in this event, having finished T7 in 2014, 4th in 2015 and a T7 last year. In the 2016 edition he had a chance to win, but a final round 71 derailed his hopes. Nevertheless, recent form and course form are encouraging signs for the 27 year-old.
Charles Howell III - 50/1:
Howell had a scintillating start to the season but fell away for a three-week spell. He is showing signs that he could be back to his best form, having advanced through his group before losing in the last 16 in last week's World Golf Championship. In the past four years at this event, he has three top 10 finishes.
Kyle Reifers - 150/1:
Reifers has been a professional since 2006, but is yet to win on any tour. However, given his recent form at the event, 150/1 could prove to be a steal. In his past two starts in Houston, he has recorded a T11 and a T7. Despite going through a horrible run of form at the start of the year, he showed signs of getting back to his best with a T17 in Puerto Rico last week.
Chris Stroud - 175/1:
277 starts and counting. That's how many events the 35 year-old has gone without winning and last week's miss looks to be a great chance gone begging. In Puerto Rico Stroud held the 54 hole-lead and maintained it going into the back 9 on Sunday, but a double bogey on the 13th ended his hopes. An eventual T8 finish would follow, but the week was nevertheless signs that Stroud is getting back to his best. He's also solid at this event, having made his last 5 cuts here with a T12 in 2014 being his best outing. This is also a home event for Stroud so this could work to his advantage.
Texas is the home for this week's PGA Tour event as the players head to Houston. With The Masters just a week away, many of those playing on the biggest stage are playing this week in order to get some final practice in before the biggest week of the year. The field is therefore stacked, with Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose just a few that will tee it up this week. The course is a par-71 measuring 7,457 yards. Scoring is usually low with scores regularly eclipsing 15 under par. Although usually a marquee event due to it being a week before the Masters, players with less prestige on tour tend to do well; with Jim Herman, D.A Points and Matt Jones all lifting the trophy in the past 5 years.
Last Year:
Jim Herman would go into the final round with the 54-hole lead. The American was 179th in the world rankings and without a win. It looked as if he would be under a lot of pressure to achieve victory for the first time on the PGA Tour, with Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson being just a few names that were breathing down his neck. But a final round 68 sealed the deal. Not only was Herman a PGA Tour victory, but he also sealed entry into the Masters for the following week. Although he would miss the cut at Augusta the following week, these two weeks will undoubtedly be regarded by Herman as the best of his life.
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| Jim Herman celebrates after shocking the field to win the 2016 Houston Open |
In this article, I will examine both player form and course form of ever player in the field. Using this information, I will then come to a judgement of who I think will be the top six players to look out for in the upcoming event.
*The odds for each player to win is provided by Sky Bet.
My Tips:Phil Mickelson - 20/1:
The 2011 Champion been exemplary here in the past and should feature near to the top of the leader board again in this year's edition. The 2011 Champion has not finished outside the top 17 here in six years. He's also gearing up nicely for the Masters: in the last two World Golf Championships he has finished in a T7 in Mexico whilst also recording a quarter-final appearance at the Match Play last week.
J.B Holmes - 28/1:
Holmes is one of those players who are not considered the very best in the game but can do damage week in, week out on the PGA Tour. The four-time PGA Tour champion has only played three times in the past five events here but has still recorded a T8 in 2012, a T12 in 2014 and a victory in 2015. Prior to his group stage exit last week, he had been a model of consistency having finished in the top 35 in 10 consecutive starts.
Russell Henley - 33/1:
Henley is a two-time champion on the PGA Tour and given recent form it looks like he may add to that tally very soon. He's made eight cuts in his last nine starts with six of them going for top 25 finishes. He also has great success in this event, having finished T7 in 2014, 4th in 2015 and a T7 last year. In the 2016 edition he had a chance to win, but a final round 71 derailed his hopes. Nevertheless, recent form and course form are encouraging signs for the 27 year-old.
Charles Howell III - 50/1:
Howell had a scintillating start to the season but fell away for a three-week spell. He is showing signs that he could be back to his best form, having advanced through his group before losing in the last 16 in last week's World Golf Championship. In the past four years at this event, he has three top 10 finishes.
Kyle Reifers - 150/1:
Reifers has been a professional since 2006, but is yet to win on any tour. However, given his recent form at the event, 150/1 could prove to be a steal. In his past two starts in Houston, he has recorded a T11 and a T7. Despite going through a horrible run of form at the start of the year, he showed signs of getting back to his best with a T17 in Puerto Rico last week.
Chris Stroud - 175/1:
277 starts and counting. That's how many events the 35 year-old has gone without winning and last week's miss looks to be a great chance gone begging. In Puerto Rico Stroud held the 54 hole-lead and maintained it going into the back 9 on Sunday, but a double bogey on the 13th ended his hopes. An eventual T8 finish would follow, but the week was nevertheless signs that Stroud is getting back to his best. He's also solid at this event, having made his last 5 cuts here with a T12 in 2014 being his best outing. This is also a home event for Stroud so this could work to his advantage.
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