Last updated October 9th, 2019
The new PGA Tour season continues a subdued start in terms of big-name players. We await the return of Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson amongst others while the likes of Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka have appeared just fleetingly so far.
The trend continues this week as we head to the Houston Open 2019 but while the big names stay rested, there has been no shortage of entertaining golf. We expect more of the same as we head to Humble in Texas so let’s see if we can pick out some winners with our Houston Open preview and predictions.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (+900 or 9/1) is the clear favorite with the top-rated American sportsbooks this week. The former Open Champion’s presence at the head of the market indicates an absence of top ranked players but he’s definitely here on merit.
Stenson has a solid record at the Houston Open. He is six for seven here including two runners up slots and a tie for third. With six top 20 finishes in his last seven starts, form is sound and the Swede also heads up the Power Rankings this week.
Behind the favorite we have a considerable gap in the Houston Open betting odds to Brian Harman (20/1) and Daniel Berger (22/1). Form is reasonable in both camps but neither man has a great record here and we feel there are better contenders.
Cameron Champ is also 22/1 and, if he can add consistency to his game, the 24-year-old can supplement the Safeway Open title from just two weeks ago. Next we come to our first former Houston Open Champion. Russell Henley (25/1) won here in 2017 and he is just ahead of Pat Perez (28/1), who finished in a solo third on Sunday.
One name that interests us is that of Keegan Bradley (40/1). He is almost in outsider territory but Bradley has a strong record in this tournament that includes a pair of top fives. Also worth a look are Kyle Stanley, Russell Knox (both 40/1) and Scottie Scheffler (22/1).
There may not be too much value in the outside pack this time. It’s not the strongest field but one or two names do stand out here. Recent winner on Tour – Sebastian Munoz (40/1) – can continue a good run while Beau Hossler (50/1), Harris English (40/1) and Luke List (50/1) can all come through with a strong performance in a week where the competition isn’t as great.
Moving even further down, Kevin Chappell and Nick Watney may attract some interest while Richie Werenski sneaks into the Power Rankings and could be an option for the Houston Open top 10 finish predictions.
Yes, there are many absentees for Houston but this is just the type of field where some big-priced value can be found, so what will it take to win?
Our Preview’s Houston Open Picks & Predictions Verdict with Course & Betting Trends
The Golf Club of Houston has hosted this event since 2003 but the 2019 edition will be its last. From 2020, this golf tournament will move to nearby Memorial Park but for now at least, the players are on familiar territory.
The current venue is a par 72 and it is one of the lengthier courses on Tour at over 7400 yards. Distance hitting can certainly be rewarded at times but accuracy holds a greater key. Initial rough has been allowed to grow by up to two inches this year, so finding the fairway will be pivotal as the week progresses. Bermuda Grass and a pacy 12 on the Stimpmeter also indicates that a battle with the flatstick will be on the cards. So USA bettors should be looking for a strong all-rounder as we head into Thursday.
The Houston Open was first held back in 1946 with the great Byron Nelson lifting the trophy. Some big names have claimed this event but multiple winners are rare with Curtis Strange and Vijay Singh jointly holding the overall record with three tournaments apiece. The current trend is for first time champions and there has been some recent overseas success. So who will be the 2019 winner?
One name that we keep coming back to is that of Keegan Bradley. Immediate form may not be there but quality and a decent record on this course certainly are and USAbetting is surprised that he is so far down the Houston Open betting odds markets. We will also add him, and some others, to our top 10 finish predictions in the quest for a solid overall return. These are our tournament picks:
- Keegan Bradley to win @ +4000 (40/1) with Bovada, Intertops or BetOnline.
- Top 10 Finish Tips: Bradley (best odds +450 Intertops, BetOnline), Scottie Scheffler (+300 Intertops, BetOnline), Sebastian Munoz (+400 Intertops, BetOnline) and Luke List (+550 BetOnline).
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.