2025 PGA Tour: Houston Open Betting Tips

The PGA Tour heads to Texas this week for the annual Houston Open kicking off Thursday evening (AEDT). As always, check out our full preview and betting tips for the event below. 

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PGA Tour Houston Open Betting Tips

The PGA Tour heads to Texas for the 2025 Texas Children’s Houston Open, taking place from March 27-30 at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. This event, a staple in the lead-up to The Masters, offers players a key opportunity to fine-tune their games and earn valuable FedExCup points. With a $9.5 million purse and 500 FedExCup points on the line, the tournament promises high-stakes drama and intense competition​.

The Field

While some of the biggest stars are taking the week off, Xander Schauffele headlines the field as the highest-ranked player at No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He’ll be joined by fellow major winners Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, and Keegan Bradley, as well as Sam Burns, who has enjoyed great success at Innisbrook with two victories. Tony Finau, Brian Harman, and Cameron Young will also look to contend, along with veteran Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Zach Johnson​.

Jordan Spieth, who won here in 2015, is among the favorites again after a T3 finish in 2023. Another intriguing storyline is Cameron Young, a highly touted talent still searching for his first PGA Tour win. Akshay Bhatia and Joel Dahmen, both popular names among golf fans, round out a deep field of contenders​.

The Valspar Championship has a history of crowning first-time winners, including Taylor Moore (2023) and Adam Hadwin (2017), making it a great opportunity for lesser-known players to break through. With the event serving as a prime warm-up for Augusta, expect competitors to bring their best form as they battle one of the PGA Tour’s most difficult tests​.

The Course

Memorial Park Golf Course, a municipal track redesigned by Tom Doak, presents a unique challenge for PGA Tour players. Its tree-lined fairways, deep bunkers, and undulating greens demand precise ball-striking and a creative short game. Players must navigate long par-4s and the challenging par-5 16th, which often plays a decisive role in the tournament’s outcome​.

The Bermudagrass greens tend to run fast, making putting a crucial factor in determining the winner. Additionally, the course's lack of rough puts a premium on angles into the greens rather than just distance off the tee. Players who can control their iron play and adapt to changing wind conditions will have the best chance of success​.

Betting Tips

Rory McIlroy ($7.50/Top 10 $2.10)

I find it hard to look past how good Rory is playing at the moment. It’s his first ever trip to Houston but in just four starts this year he already has two wins and a T17 and T15, all of those results coming in jam packed fields. Two weeks time in Augusta is where a lot of his focus will be, but he will want to ensure he’s rounding into form nicely for the Masters, back him to perform here on a course that places a premium on ball striking. 

Aaron Rai ($28/Top 20 $2.15)

Easily one of the most underrated players on tour at the moment. The Englishman has made the cut in 6/7 tournaments in 2025 and is coming off a T4 in Mexico, T11 at the Arnold Palmer and a T14 at the Players. Has gone from a real threat in the lower tier tournaments to someone who can genuinely match it in the stacked fields. 3/3 on cuts made in Houston with a T19, T7 and T7 in his three starts.