⛳ Texas Children's Houston Open Picks, Predictions & 2026 Betting Preview: Scheffler Withdraws
📡 SBR Edge: Scottie Scheffler's withdrawal opens up Houston Open predictions
Scottie Scheffler began the week as the clear outright favorite according to the Texas Children's Houston Open odds, but his Tuesday morning withdrawal ahead of the birth of his second child has overhauled the betting board. Min Woo Lee now sits as the favorite, but is he among my favorite Houston Open predictions? Let's dive in.
π₯ Houston Open picks
Here are our best Texas Children's Houston Open predictions to help with your golf picks.
| Player | Best Houston finish | Current odds (Outright) | Best bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min Woo Lee | Winner (2025) | +1500 | Outright |
| Chris Gotterup | T-25 (2025) | +2025 | Top 5 (+470) |
| Wyndham Clark | T-5 (2025) | +4400 | Top 10 (+470) |
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π°Houston Open pick to win: Min Woo Lee (+1300)
As the defending champion of the Houston Open, Lee isn't just a popular pick - he's statistically the best fit for Memorial Park's challenges. "Woozy" didn't just win here in 2025; he dismantled the course, finishing with 20-under par and breaking the tournament record by four strokes. He carded rounds of 66-64-63-67, putting together some of the most consistent golf we've ever seen. Memorial Park features significant runoffs, and Lee's creative short game (ranked 23rd in strokes gained: around the green allows him to save par where others crumble. Let the chef cook this week.
| Stat category | Tour rank | Value |
|---|---|---|
| SG: off the tee | 7th | +0.646 |
| Driving distance | 13th | 315.3 Yards |
| SG: putting | 34th | +0.403 |
| SG: total | 10th | +1.453 |
π₯ Best bets for the Houston Open
We're diving into our bag for these picks, let's have a weekend across the board with Gotterup and Clark.
Chris Gotterup prop bet: Top-5 finish (+470)
With Scottie Scheffler's withdrawal, Gotterup has vaulted into the spotlight as one of the most statistically dangerous players in the field. Currently ranked as the world No. 10, Gotterup is having an incredible 2026 season that makes him a near-lock for a top-five finish. The length of Memorial Park leads me to believe that Gotterup can, and will, have a strong week. At 7,475 yards, Gotterup profiles well here with his elite distance off the tee, coming in ranked sixth in driving distance on Tour (319.1 yards). Add in he's arguably the hottest player in golf not named Scheffler, and you have yourself a recipe for success.
π― Houston Open long-shot pick
Wyndham Clark (+5500)
Wyndham Clark brings extra long driving distance and sharp iron play to Memorial Park this week. He gained more than a full stroke per round on approach in three of his last four events. The only thing stopping the former major champion from contending has been an ice-cold putter.
Clark lost strokes on the greens in four straight events and five of his last six. However, he gained strokes with the flat stick each of the five times he has played in Houston, including 1.05 SG: putting in a T-5 finish last year.
Best Wyndham Clark prop bet: Top-10 finish (+470)
πΌ Scottie Scheffler's withdrawal shakes up oddsboard
It seems Scottie Scheffler planned the birth of his second child around the Masters, as the World No. 1 withdrew from this week's Texas Children's Houston Open with his child expected "any day now," according to Cameron Jourdan GolfWeek.
Scheffler began the week as the +300 betting favorite on Monday, and his odds had risen only to +350 as of Tuesday morning. His withdrawal from the field caused odds to shorten for much of the rest of the field, with notables like Brooks Koepka dropping from +2700 to +2600 at DraftKings.
Min Woo Lee, the defending champion of this event, is the new favorite to win at +1500 at DraftKings.
β³ Houston Open tournament info
- Where: Memorial Park Golf Course (Houston)
- When: Thursday, March 26 - Sunday, March 29
- Field: 135
- Cut rule: 36 holes (top 65 and ties)
- Favorite: Min Woo Lee (+1500 via FanDuel)
- Defending champion: Min Woo Lee
- Purse: $9.9 million
- FedEx Cup points: 500
- How to watch: NBC/Golf Channel (ESPN+ for streaming)
π₯ Texas Children's Houston Open odds: Favorites
Here are the 2026 Texas Children's Houston Open odds from DraftKings as of Tuesday (following Scheffler's withdrawal) to help with your golf picks. Top-5 and top-10 betting markets include ties.
| β³ Golfer | π To Win | 5οΈβ£ Top 5 | π Top 10 | π World Ranking (as of 3/24) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min Woo Lee | +1300 | +320 | +168 | 31 |
| Chris Gotterup | +1800 | +415 | +215 | 10 |
| Jake Knapp | +2000 | +425 | +215 | 42 |
| Brooks Koepka | +2200 | +475 | +235 | 162 |
| Sam Burns | +2500 | +460 | +230 | 33 |
| Kurt Kitayama | +2700 | +475 | +235 | 35 |
| Nicolai HΓΈjgaard | +2700 | +520 | +265 | 47 |
| Michael Thorbjornsen | +2700 | +560 | +280 | 62 |
| Marco Penge | +2700 | +610 | +310 | 36 |
| Rickie Fowler | +3000 | +500 | +245 | 61 |
βοΈ How I'm betting the Texas Children's Houston Open
Just two tournaments separate us from the first major of the season. That makes handicapping the Houston Open a little more difficult than most other PGA Tour events.
Many golfers will use this tournament - or next week's Valero Texas Open - as preparation for Augusta National Golf Course and the Masters. Somewhat like spring training in baseball, where pitchers will focus on fine-tuning select pitch types rather than trying to win with their full arsenal, golfers will work on certain shot types and may target specified approach distances to the greens. The firm and fast greens offer a comparable experience to ANGC as the field tries to lock in their putting stroke.
As such, I scale back my betting investment these next two weeks. I'll stick mostly to the outright market and will target some more golfers from the middle tier, as a win this week will get them an invitation to the Masters, if one isn't already secured.
Course info
Memorial Park Golf Course has received plenty of praise from the golf community since taking over as host of this event in 2021. The winning 72-hole scores since 2021 have ranged from -10 to -20, with Min Woo Lee setting the low mark last year.
The greens are relatively small and play as some of the firmest and fastest among annual PGA Tour host sites. There's a lot of undulation in the greens.
Tom Doak's redesign in 2019 reduced the number of bunkers. Water is a real hazard on only three holes, offering a reprieve from the Florida swing.
| β³ Memorial Park Golf Course | |
|---|---|
| Par | 70 |
| Yardage | 7,475 |
| Greens | Bermuda |
| Architect | John Bremedus, Tom Doak renovation |
| Comparable courses | Puntacana Resort, Torrey Pines, Los Angeles Country Club |
π Key stats: Handicapping Memorial Park GC
Memorial Park Golf Course is a real test of length, playing nearly 7,500 yards as a par 70. Distance off the tee is far more valuable than accuracy, and approach shots most commonly fall in the 175-200-yard range with three par 4s playing longer than 500 yards. Two of the four par 3s are longer than 200 yards, with No. 11 playing a whopping 237 yards.
Putting success on firm and fast greens can be used as a differentiator.
Three of the last five winners at Memorial Park won in their debut at the venue, so I don't value course history too highly.
| ποΈ Stat category | βοΈ Weight | π Why it matters for MPGC |
|---|---|---|
| SG: approach | 50% | Putting surfaces are relatively small and play very firm |
| SG: off-the-tee (distance) | 25% | This is a long course for a par 70 with only three par 5s; three par 4s exceed 500 yards |
| Proximity: 175-200 yards | 10% | The most common approach range, with dog-legged fairways limiting driver off the tee |
| Proximity: 125-150 yards | 10% | See the above: make sure you're abiding by fairway curves |
| SG: putting | 5% | Bermuda greens are among the fastest on the PGA Tour rotation |
π° Houston Open betting history
Here are the recent winners of the Houston Open, along with their 72-hole score and pre-tournament odds:
| ποΈ Year | π Winner | πͺ§ Score to par | π Opening Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Min Woo Lee | -20 | +3000 |
| 2024 | Stephan Jaeger | -12 | +5000 |
| 2023 | No tournament | ||
| 2022 | Tony Finau | -16 | +1600 |
| 2021 | Jason Kokrak | -10 | +6000 |
| 2020 | Carlos Ortiz | -13 | +15000 |
| 2019 | Lanto Griffin | -14 | +4000 |
| 2018 | Ian Poulter | -19 (playoff) | +8000 |
| 2017 | Russell Henley | -20 | +3000 |
| 2016 | Jim Herman | -15 | Field (+275) |
Historical odds via GolfOdds.com.
π Full-field Houston Open odds 2026
Here are the odds to win the Houston Open for the 135-man field at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
β Houston Open FAQs
Who is favored to win the Houston Open?
Scottie Scheffler opened as the betting favorite to win the Houston Open, but he withdrew Tuesday morning. Min Woo Lee is the new favorite, with his +1500 outright odds representing an implied win probability of 6.25% and returning a profit of $150 on a winning $10 bet.
Who won the Houston Open last year?
Min Woo Lee won last year's Texas Children's Houston Open with a 72-hole score of -20 to win by one stroke over Scottie Scheffler and Gary Woodland. Lee had pre-tournament odds of +3000.
When is the Houston Open?
The 2026 Texas Children's Houston Open begins with Round 1 on Thursday and plays through Sunday, March 29.
Where is the Houston Open?
The Texas Children's Houston Open is held annually at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
How to watch the Houston Open?
The Houston Open is broadcast on NBC and Golf Channel, and streamed on PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ and Peacock.
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