This article is part of our FantasyDraft PGA series.
Houston Open
Humble, TX
Golf Club of Houston – Par 72, 7,441 yards
Field – 144 Entrants
Winner's Share – $1.26 million
The Preview
The Masters is on the horizon, which means there is just one more chance for golfers to tune up their games – or enter next week's field altogether. That chance comes in the form of the Shell Houston Open, which kicks off Thursday in Texas. Golf fans are no doubt looking ahead to Augusta, and this week's tournament lost a big name when Dustin Johnson dropped out, but the field still features plenty of flavor. American fan favorites Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson, and Patrick Reed are all on hand, as are star foreigners like Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, and Jon Rahm -- no, it's not too soon to include his name on this list. With ample big names and plenty of motivation for the less heralded players, there is plenty of reason to expect an exciting weekend in The Lone Star State.
Past Five Champions
2016 – Jim Herman
2015 – J.B. Holmes
2014 – Matt Jones
2013 – D.A. Points
2012 – Hunter Mahan
Last Year's Top 10 Finishers
1 Jim Herman -15
2 Henrik Stenson -14
3 Dustin Johnson -13
4 Rafael Cabrera Bello -12
T5 Daniel Berger -11
T5 Russell Henley -11
T7 Charles Howell III -10
T7 Chez Reavie -10
T7 Kyle Reifers -10
T10 Patrick Reed -9
T10 Rickie Fowler -9
T10 Sean O'Hair -9
FantasyDraft Value Picks – based on $100,000 salary cap
The Names
Jordan Spieth – $22,600
Jon Rahm – $21,400
Henrik Stenson – $20,700
Justin Rose – $19,700
The pick: While he has never played the Houston Open and his price tag is on the rise, Rahm is simply too hot to ignore. His lack of experience is made up by the fact that over his last five events – starting with the most recent – Rahm posted finishes of 2, 3, 5, 16, 1.
The Next Tier
J.B. Holmes – $18,900
Daniel Berger – $18,400
Tony Finau – $17,900
Rafael Cabrera Bello – $17,500
The Pick: Berger did not fare well in the Match Play event and missed the cut in three of five appearances before that, but he also recorded two top-25 finishes during that span, sits 20th in the FedExCup standings, and comes in 40th in the OWGR, so there is still plenty to like. Last year's T5 finish at this event doesn't hurt, either.
The Bargains
Jhonattan Vegas – $16,900
Bryson DeChambeau – $16,600
Hudson Swafford – $15,900
Kevin Chappell – $15,700
The Pick: It's been a steady fall down the OWGR for Chappell this year, but it was around this time last year that Chappell started to heat up, so there is reason to believe he will get back on track sooner than later.
The Other Texans
Ollie Schniederjans – $16,400
Ryan Palmer – $15,600
Kelly Kraft – $13,600
The Pick: A number of players in this week's field are either from Texas or reside there – and some fall in both categories, including Kraft. He has struggled since recording a second-place finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but he will be playing in his home state and will be looking to back up some recent social media chatter, so he should be plenty motivated this week.
