Weekly PGA Tour Tips

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Scottie Scheffler - 20/1 - 2.5pts each-way

Cameron Davis - 60/1 - 1pt each-way

Denny McCarthy  - 60/1 - 1pt each-way 

Sam Burns - 80/1 - 1pt each-way

Max Homa - 100/1 - 0.75pts each-way

Andrew Putnam - 150/1 - 0.5pts each-way

Keith Mitchell - 200/1 - 0.5pts each-way    

Sean O'Hair - 300/1 - 0.25pts each-way  

When the Houston Open lost its place as the curtain-raiser to the Masters two years ago, many feared the future of the tournament as a viable event. One of the happy coincidences of COVID-19 is that it is back as the PGA event before the final major of the year. It will even have 2,000 fans present to create something of the atmosphere that has been lacking since golf returned back in June. The course has changed for this year's renewal with the selection of Memorial Park, a municipal track redesigned byTom Doak. The course apparently only has 20 bunkers on the course with five par-5's and two drivable par-4's in the final six holes. The expectation is that this will be a birdie-fest. Dustin Johnson is the clear favourite followed by Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton. A lot of the top players will be viewing this as an opportunity to have a competitive tune-up in advance of the Masters next week. With this in mind, I have tended to favour players who aren't playing at Augusta next week.

The headline selection for this week is Rookie of the Year, Scottie Scheffler. His first season was extremely impressive without actually grabbing that debut win. One of his best performances was at the Tour Championship at East Lake where he shot the second-best gross score for the week. This week's course at Memorial Park has the same type of grass on the greens as East Lake. Scheffler seems back close to his best form after the COVID diagnosis that prevented him taking his place at the US Open. He is a dynamic player who can go very low and he can rack up a slew of birdies and go close this week.

Cameron Davis possesses the nicest swing of an Australian player since Adam Scott. He is also in some excellent form, as demonstrated by his T-6th at the Sanderson Farms. That performance included a third-round 62, which is the sort of play that will be required this week. He has too much talent not to win really soon and this week could be the week.

Denny McCarthy is becoming a stalwart for TrickyDogleg this year with two full each-way payouts in the last month or so. He finished off in Bermuda with a flawless 64 and he can bring that form to Houston and go very close again.

Sam Burns kicked off the season in fine style with a T-7th at the Safeway and should go well on a course with his favoured Bermuda greens.Burns is nearly three times the price he was going into the Sanderson when he was heavily favoured. So, take him now while he's under the radar somewhat.

This course has some formline connections with Quail Hollow which means that Max Homa has to come into the reckoning. Homa won his maiden PGA Tour victory at the North Carolina track, so should take to Memorial Park well. He showed that his form was gradually coming back at Bermuda last week and at a three figure price is worth a pop.

Andrew Putnam is put up again as a player who will rekindle the form that got him into the World's Top 50 this time last year. 

Keith Mitchell was reasonably solid last week in Bermuda and it is hoped that he can rediscover the level of play that brought him the Honda Classic a couple of years ago. He is something of a Florida specialist, so these Bermuda greens at Houston might spark him.

From a Florida specialist to a guy who plays great in Texas. Sean O'Hair loves playing in the LoneStar state and his price is too big to ignore.