“Between Bets” is an article series revealing our staff’s best wagers across the NFL, NASCAR and PGA Tour. This edition’s bets feature our favorite wagers for Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024.
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Texas Children’s Houston Open Betting Picks
Wyndham Clark (+1200)
Wyndham Clark has been the undisputed second-best player on Tour over the last few tournaments. It would be tough to argue against how well he’s playing. Unfortunately for him, he is playing against Scottie Scheffler. Clark has finished runner-up to Scheffler in his last two starts, and his stats have been good enough to beat nearly anyone else on the planet right now.
Then why would I bet Clark over Scheffler this week? Simply put, he completely outclasses Scheffler on the green. Clark is an elite putter, and Scheffler is streaky at best. The putter swap for Scheffler is proving to be a game-changer for him, but he is residing in a house of cards. If the putter regresses at all, Clark will be there to take advantage. Memorial Park Golf Course has a few sticky stats, and the prevailing one is putting. You have to gain putting and be able to scramble. Scheffler can recover and get to the green, but I have to give the edge to Clark with the flat stick. I believe that alone will be the differentiator this week, with both players having elite approach games and higher-than-average greens-in-regulation gained.
Jason Day (+2500)
Jason Day profiles as someone who should be a near-perfect fit here. He struggles off the tee in regard to accuracy, but that doesn’t matter at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He has one of the most well-rounded approach games on Tour. This course has a variety of approach bucks demanding a solid all-around approach. The veteran is an elite wedge player and one of the best scramblers and putters in this field.
His last few starts have been less than inspiring, with a T35 and T36. Still, Day does have winning upside in this field and good results at the Memorial Park, with a 16th-place and seventh-place finish in his last three starts here. He won’t stat out well over the last 24 rounds. However, if you look at the skill set required for success here and the results he has had on this track, you will see the course fit. Day did not lose strokes in any category at Memorial Park in 2022.
Strokes gained stats at this event in 2022:
- Off the Tee: 1.45
- Approach: 3.05
- Putting: 2.23
- Scrambling: 3.10
Mackenzie Hughes (+5500)
Mackenzie Hughes is coming off a T3 at the Valspar Championship, which requires similar skills to be successful. I like riding the hot hand with Hughes, and It doesn’t hurt his case that he has historically played well at Memorial Park. In his last three starts he has a 16th, a 29th and seventh-place finish.
Hughes has averaged 4.8 strokes gained putting and 7.09 strokes scrambling in his last three starts here. He is not the most accurate of players, but his scrambling ability will keep him in contention this week. Everyone will be missing these greens; it’s about recovery at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, and Mackenzie Hughes is one of the best in the business at it!
Sam Ryder (+11000)
The popular move this week is to take players who have long distance and lack accuracy. Sam Ryder does not fit that mold. Instead, I am focused on his incredible short game and scrambling ability. Ryder is one of the shorter hitters off the tee, but he is one of the best putters in this field and has been on fire over the last three starts.
He gained just over 10.5 strokes putting at the Valspar Championship last week. His scrambling has, in turn, benefited, gaining 7.1 strokes at the Valspar and averaging just over five strokes gained between the previous two starts. Those are valuable weapons at Memorial Park, and they happen to be Ryder’s weapons of choice. The odds of 110/1 are very reasonable for a player who has a lot of volatility off of the tee and on longer approach shots. If he gains in either of those categories, he will absolutely be a name to watch this week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
Other Outright Bets to Consider for Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024:
- Scottie Scheffler (+250)
- Si Woo Kim (+2800)
- Alex Noren (+3500)
- Kurt Kitayama (+5000)
- Jake Knapp (+5500)
- Hayden Springer (+20000)
Check out all of our content for the Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024:
- Between Bets: Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024 Outrights
- PropKings: Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024
- PGA DFS: Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024
Thanks for reading my best bets for the Texas Children’s Houston Open 2024, and be sure to catch us live every Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. EST on the 19th Hole! Good luck this week!
*Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports*