Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open: Expert Picks

Tournament Information:

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open
Date: November 11^th – 14th
Course: Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course
Purse: $7.5mm ($1.4mm to winner)
2020 Winner: Carlos Ortiz (-13)

Course: Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course

Originally a 9-hole course in 1923, this course was renovated by John Bredemus in 1935. As a par 72 this course is long (7,292 yards) but it is easier with a slope rating of 118 (the course rating is 74.2). The greens are generous in size, providing ample space to land. Challenges in this course will lie in the angled rough, which golfers will have to take longer shots out of on some of the longer holes. There are a handful of easier holes down the final stretch, but look for the big hitters to thrive this week. I am anticipating some lower scores this week (maybe approaching -20).

Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images

My Starting 4

Talor Gooch (first selection this year) – The 4^th place finisher at Memorial Park last year has been off to a solid start to this season. He’s 12^thin FedEx ranking having finished among the top 12 in every tournament he’s played in so far. He has fantastic irons as he is 6^th in strokes gained approaching the green and around the green.

MacKenzie Hughes (first selection this year) — MacKenzie finished 7^th here last year. He is currently top 50 in OWGR and has been among the top 35 in every tournament this year. His putting is elite (9^th in strokes gained) and he has an accurate drive.

Sam Burns (first selection this year) — Sam finished 7^th here last year. He’s 1^st in FedEx ranking, as he now has three top 15 finishes this season including a win at Sanderson Farms Championship. Putting is the only weakness to his game as he’s top 15 in strokes gained—off the tee, approaching the green, tee to green and total.

Aaron Wise (first selection this year) — Aaron was 11^th here last year. He is top 20 in FedEx ranking and has been top 30 in every tournament this season. He’s top 12 in strokes gained around the green, tee to green and total.

My Bench 2

Harold Varner III (first selection this year) — He’s top 50 in FedEx ranking, he was 15^th here last year, and he has been top 35 in three of four tournaments this season. He’s among the top 50 in strokes gained putting, tee to green and total.

Jason Day (first selection this year) — Jason was 7^th at Hewlett Packard last year. He was 64^th in the one tournament this year and most of his strokes gained are outside the top 100—but he is 52^nd in Greens in Regulation.

Fun Fact: Between 1960 – 1967 Jack Nicklaus finished 2^nd here twice and Arnold Palmer finished 2^nd here twice.

2021-2022 Stats

Start: Average Finish 39th (35^th percent)
Bench: Average Finish 58^th (52^nd percent)