After an exciting week of match play from Austin, the PGA Tour returns to its standard 72-hole format for the 26th and final installment of the Houston Open under Shell’s sponsorship. The Golf Club of Houston’s field this week is decked with elite golfers, featuring four top-10 players from the Official World Golf Rankings.
Two-time major champion Jordan Spieth will be part of the action in Humble, Texas, and will look to tune-up his game as he prepares for the Masters in a week’s time. But it’s not just Spieth who’s looking to come away with a victory at the Houston Open, so we’ve taken a closer look at several notable golfers below that could just as well come away with a much-needed win this coming weekend.
Favorites – Jordan Spieth (+550) and Henrik Stenson (+1,000)
It isn’t a complete surprise to see Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson installed as favorites to win this week’s Shell Houston Open. Spieth and Stenson are the two highest-ranked players in the field and they’re both playing some outstanding golf of late.
Spieth has posted top-10s in five of his last eight starts, including a victory at Pebble Beach last February. He also loves playing in this Houston course as evidenced by his runner-up finish in this event in 2015. Stenson, on the other hand, has finished in the top-10 in three of his first five starts this year. The reigning British Open champion has done everything in Humble but win, nabbing runner-up finishes in this tournament in 2013 and 2016.
With the form that they are both in right now and their experience with this particular course, expect Spieth and Stenson to contend once again for the title this week.
High-Value Sleepers – Russell Henley (+3,000) and Matt Kuchar (+3,500)
One golfer who loves playing here at the Houston Open is Russell Henley. The Georgia native has finished T-7 or better in each of his last three starts in this event. Henley has been playing some solid golf of late as well, tying for ninth just three weeks ago at Innisbrook. Key to Henley’s resurgence has been his superb play with the putter. He is 19th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained via putting with an impressive .596 clip. That will come in handy for Henley when tackling the delicate greens here at the Golf Club of Houston.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this week is Matt Kuchar. In four career starts here at the Shell Houston Open, Kuchar has found the top-10 on three occasions, including a playoff defeat to Matt Jones in 2014. Kuchar’s starting to hit peak form ahead of next week’s Masters, racking up top-25 finishes in four of his last five stroke-play starts.
One long shot who can definitely make a run at the Shell Houston title this week is Jim Herman. He exceeded all expectations in this tournament last year, firing all four rounds in the 60s to earn his first career PGA Tour victory.
What makes Herman such a threat in every golf tournament that he competes in is his excellent play from tee to green. He is 37th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained in that particular department with an impressive .806 average. Herman has been accurate off the tee as well, as he is 11th in the PGA Tour in driving accuracy with a superb 70.09 percent clip. That will be a key weapon for Herman when navigating the 7,457-yard, par-72 Houston course.
Writer’s Prediction
Jordan Spieth (+550) builds momentum for the Masters with a solid victory here in Houston.
