This article is part of our FanDuel PGA DFS Picks series.
Houston Open – Humble, TexasGolf Club of Houston (7,441 yards, par 72)
$7.0M Purse
$1,250,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner
Tournament Preview
To those not fortunate enough to already have an invite to Augusta National next week, there's one last opportunity to slip into the field – win the Houston Open this week. The good news is that four of the last 10 champions have triumphed at this event to earn an invite at the last possible moment. The bad news is, winning isn't easy, especially when nearly 1 in 3 Houston Opens have been decided by a playoff. The main draw for players this week is the Augusta-like setup at the GC of Houston, with Stimpmeters tipping the scales at 13 or more and staple features like shaved banks and closely-mown collection areas throughout the course. Four of the top 10 players in the world are in the field, including fan favorite Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, and Henrik Stenson. Even with a firm and fast setup, the course has consistently yielded 15- or 16-under to the champion the last handful of years.
Prior Decade Champions
2016 – Jim Herman
2015 – J.B. Holmes
2014 – Matt Jones
2013 – D.A. Points
2012 – Hunter Mahan
2011 – Phil Mickelson
2010 – Anthony Kim
2009 – Paul Casey
2008 – Johnson Wagner
2007 – Adam Scott
Key Stats to Winning at GC of Houston
• Total Driving
• Greens in Regulation
• Strokes Gained: Putting
Champion's Profile
The makeup of the course includes long par-5s and long par-3s, while the par-4s are quite scorable. When matched with firm fairways and greens, players who give themselves plenty of birdie putts will have the best chance to go low, since saving par from off the green is tricky when conditions are firm and fast. With thunderstorms in the forecast Wednesday and Sunday, the course may play a bit longer, giving the advantage to the longer hitters. On the contrary, anytime you have lightning-fast greens, players can really separate themselves with great putting. All said, it's a somewhat baffling profile that has produced a wide array of champions. However, when you have a short list of elite players in the field, it's best to hone in on them first, but further down the list it may be worthwhile to focus on players who have consistently putted well this season.
FanDuel Value Picks
The Chalk
Jordan Spieth, $10500 – The cream of this week's crop, Spieth will have plenty of good ole' Texas support and the benefit of a good history at this course. The last two years have produced a playoff loss and a T13.
Jon Rahm, $10200 – Behind only Dustin Johnson, Rahm is probably the hottest player on the planet with top-5 finishes in four of his last five starts, including a dramatic win at Torrey Pines. Coming off a runner-up at the WGC Match Play last week, Rahm's form should spill over to the GC of Houston.
Henrik Stenson, $10000 – Though Stenson's recent form is somewhat stagnant, his record at this venue is undeniable with three top-3 finishes in five starts.
Rickie Fowler, $9500 – Since notching a recent signature win at PGA National, Fowler has put together a 16th and 12th place efforts his last two starts. At GC of Houston, Fowler has made all five of his cuts and posted two top-10s in the process.
Longer Shots Worth a Risk
J.B. Holmes, $8400 – Won in a playoff here in 2015 and has two other top-10s to back it up. Has made 6-of-6 cuts in stroke play events this season, making him a stable choice this week.
Russell Henley, $6900 – Henley has played solidly at Tampa and Phoenix in recent starts this season, but his "horse-for-the-course" record at GC of Houston is where it's at: T5, 4th, T7, 45th the last four years.
Patrick Cantlay, $5700 – Cantlay scooped up a lone second at the Valspar Championship in his last start, Cantlay is a bit of a flier in his first time at this event, but enters with a hot hand.
Matt Jones, $5000 – Struck gold with a playoff chip-in to win his first PGA Tour event here in 2014, but has missed the cut his last two trips to Houston. Appropriately priced for his volatility, but Jones has plenty of upside if his 15th ranked putting in 2017 holds up this week.
Strategy Tips for this week (based on 60k standard salary cap)
With only 7 or 8 elite players in the field, it's best to narrow your focus on one or two of them and build around the chalk, who are very likely to make the cut and have a good chance to win in a weaker-fielded event if they find themselves in position.
Beyond the elite, targeting mid-range players who have a good history at this venue and good putting stats are a solid place to start. Good examples of this kind of player are Russell Henley and Matt Jones, who are both top-20 in strokes gained putting this year and have high finishes at GC of Houston.
