{"id":17070,"date":"2026-03-23T23:29:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T23:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/?post_type=article&p=17070"},"modified":"2026-03-24T21:06:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T21:06:17","slug":"2026-texas-childrens-houston-open-noonans-outright-picks-and-preview","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/article\/2026-texas-childrens-houston-open-noonans-outright-picks-and-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Texas Children\u2019s Houston Open- Noonan\u2019s Outright Picks and Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the conclusion of the Florida Swing and just two weeks remaining until the Masters, the PGA Tour now shifts its focus to Texas for the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course. The long Par 70 track, which measures 7,475 yards, features a unique layout with five par 3s and three par 5s. The course features a modest 24 bunkers and only four water hazards, all of which were added during the 2019 Brooks Koepka<\/a><\/a><\/span>-led redesign. Its defense lies in the distinctive green complexes characterized by undulating surfaces and short-grass runoffs with false fronts. According to course superintendent Parker Henry, while everything is visible, the green complexes can be challenging if not approached accurately. <\/span><\/p>\n

The course has historically played over par, emphasizing the need for a well-rounded game. The tournament’s move from fall to spring has significantly changed the course’s agronomy and how the field approaches the challenges of Memorial Park. The once bermudagrass-covered course now showcases Poa trivialis on the greens. Additionally, the rough has transitioned from penal 2.5″ Bermuda to a more manageable 1.25″ ryegrass. <\/span><\/p>\n

The challenge in handicapping this week is that the sample size of how I expect the course to play is very small. I don’t think the fall data is particularly relevant, and last year’s conditions were softer than what we saw in 2024 and what I’m anticipating this week. <\/span>So, in short, <\/span>I think<\/span> we see something closer to the 2024 result from a scoring standpoint, with the winner in the 10-to-14-under range instead of Min Woo Lee<\/a><\/a><\/span>‘s 20-under.<\/span><\/p>\n

Memorial Park offers a well-balanced mix of doglegs and straight holes, featuring a variety of distances across its layout. Lengthy holes are a prominent characteristic of the course. Three of the five par 3 holes exceed 200 yards, while eight par 4 holes measure over 440 yards. The course presents its challenges, with five par 4s playing over 490 yards and an average bogey-or-worse rate of 28.9%. Even the par 5 holes are demanding, including the 576-yard 16th hole, which has a Birdie or Better rate of only 22%. This is a grip-it-and-rip-it course off the tee, and the penalty for missing the fairway is basically non-existent. <\/span><\/p>\n

Every approach shot at Memorial Park is tougher than the Tour average. The key challenge is landing your second shot in the right quadrant of the large sloping greens. With steep slopes and false fronts near the edges, hitting the wrong section makes it difficult to secure makeable birdie putts. Sometimes, missing the green on the correct side is preferable to hitting it and facing a long, complicated putt. <\/span>The low greens-in-regulation rate, despite the large greens, brings<\/span> the around-the-green and lag putting into play this week.<\/span> Chipping from the courses’ shaved runoffs is also a required skill this week, with 67.4% of the around-the-green shots here coming from short grass. Line that up against a Tour average event of 40.3%, and you can see why it matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more course details, check out <\/span>Ron’s<\/span><\/a> course preview<\/span><\/a>. It’s the best in the business, bar none. Also, don’t forget to check out our research tools, the Memorial Park <\/span>course stats<\/span><\/a>, along with the <\/span>Tournament Cheat Sheet.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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