Texas Children's Houston Open Fantasy Golf Picks (2026)
Get ready, golf fans. We are two-stepping our way down to the great state of Texas this week for the Houston Open, and the energy in Space City is electric. We are finally leaving the grueling, water-logged tracks of the Florida swing behind us and heading to a sprawling course that practically begs players to grip it and rip it. If you love watching the biggest hitters on Tour launch absolute rockets into the stratosphere, you are in for a treat this week.
Course Preview: Memorial Park Golf Course
Memorial Park has hosted this event every year since 2020, and it remains one of the most unique stops on the schedule. If there is one phrase to describe this layout, it is a true bomber's paradise.
- The layout: A par 70 stretched to a staggering 7,475 yards. It is the longest par 70 used annually on Tour, and it demands power first, precision second.
- Hazards: Water is only in play on about four holes, and there are very few bunkers. The lack of penal hazards lets players swing without fear.
- Off the tee: The fairways are massive. At the 300-yard mark on the 6th hole, the fairway and rough combined measure around 72 yards wide. The overseeded rough sits at about 1.25 inches, so missing the short grass is rarely costly.
- The greens: They average roughly 7,000 square feet and are heavily segmented. Think of them as greens-within-greens, full of undulations that make approach play a premium.
- Key stats: Apex height, ball speed, and clubhead speed correlate strongly here. We want players who hit it high and hit it hard.
The Heavy Hitters: Favorite Picks
- Scottie Scheffler: The favorite for a reason. His recent results have been steady top-25s in elite fields, and he takes pride in playing in Texas. At Memorial Park he has never missed a cut and owns three runner-up finishes plus a ninth in his last four trips.
- Chris Gotterup: The Florida swing handcuffed his strengths. He ranks fifth in the field in clubhead speed and finished 18th here last year. Expect big gains off the tee and plenty of birdie looks.
- Jake Knapp: Since the start of the 2026 season, he is gaining 1.96 strokes per round, second in the field behind only Scheffler. He is top 10 in ball speed and clubhead speed, and this setup is tailor-made for his aggression.
- Brooks Koepka: The big-game hunter is trending up. His putter has been dialed in, and he served as a player consultant on the redesign here. He knows every contour and finished fifth at this event in 2020.
Proceed With Caution: Who to Avoid
- Min Woo Lee: The defending champion brings power and swagger, but the price feels too high for the form he is bringing into this week. There are better value pivots with similar upside.
- Sahith Theegala: He has never missed a cut here, but he also has zero top-20 finishes. With a televised TGL match early in the week, his preparation window is short and the risk goes up.
- Taylor Pendrith: The putting form is alarming. He has lost 20 strokes putting over his last 10 rounds, and that is too big of a red flag to ignore.
Under the Radar: Sleeper Picks
- Marco Penge: The DP World Tour winner last year ranks second in the field in clubhead speed and just finished fourth at the Valspar, gaining strokes on approach. This long, open layout fits him perfectly.
- Wyndham Clark: A one-week-only special. His distance is elite but accuracy can be an issue. Memorial Park lets you spray it and still score, and he finished fifth here last year.
- Stephan Jaeger: A proven performer on long, demanding courses. He just posted a seventh-place finish last week and now returns to a track where he has three straight top-11s, including a win.
- Pierceson Coody: The former Texas standout is finally coming home. He is an elite driver who struggled on tight Florida layouts. This is his kind of course.
- Patrick Rodgers: A quietly strong 2026 so far with nine straight cuts made. He is long enough to attack this setup and is minimizing mistakes with a steady putter.
Good luck this week, and enjoy the fireworks at Memorial Park.