2024 Houston Open: PGA Golf Betting Picks This Week
This week, Joe Cistaro breaks down PGA golf betting tips for the 2024 Houston Open.
The PGA TOUR shifts to Texas for an old jam in a different schedule spot. The 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open replaces the WGC Match Play on the calendar a couple of weeks ahead of the Masters. Scottie Scheffler headlines a weaker field at some of the shortest odds we have seen in years. Will he take home a title in his home state? Read our betting preview before delving into this week’s betting card.
The Houston Odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
At the time of this writing – March 27th – you can find these odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. The below list features all golfers priced at 60/1 or better.
| Golfer | Odds |
|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +260 |
| Wyndham Clark | +1200 |
| Sahith Theegala | +1800 |
| Will Zalatoris | +1800 |
| Tony Finau | +2500 |
| Jason Day | +2500 |
| Si Woo Kim | +3000 |
| Keith Mitchell | +3500 |
| Alex Noren | +3500 |
| Tom Hoge | +4500 |
| Stephen Jaegar | +4500 |
| Kurt Kitayama | +5000 |
| Jake Knapp | +5500 |
| Mackenzie Hughes | +5500 |
| Beau Hossler | +5500 |
| Aaron Rai | +6000 |
| Billy Horschel | +6000 |
2024 Houston Open: PGA Golf Betting Picks This Week
- Course: Memorial Park GC
- Date: March 28 – 31
- Par: 70
- Yardage: 7,435
- Greens: Bermuda
Key Statistics
- SG: Approach
- SG: Off-the-Tee
- SG: Par 5
- Proximity 200+
- Bogey Avoidance
- SG: Around-the-Green
- Par 4: 500+
- SG: Putting
Unless mentioned otherwise, all Strokes Gained statistics will be referenced over the player’s previous 24 rounds on the PGA TOUR.
Sahith Theegala +1800 (Betrivers)
Undoubtedly, Scottie Scheffler is and should be projected to win this tournament. Scottie does not take weeks off when he is committed to tournaments. Further, Scheffler has already acknowledged how much he loves to put on a show for his home state. We, however, will not pay this price and cannot use him for one-and-done contests.
Yet, the field strength is still weak relative to typical PGA TOUR events. Wyndham Clark, Sahith Theegala, Tony Finau, and Will Zalatoris are a cut above the rest. We start our card with one of our favorites — Sahith Theegala.
Theegala has two starts at the Houston Open and is a completely different player since his last start in 2022. Theegala improved drastically since the fall of 2022, is a winner on TOUR, and has been in spectacular form. He finished sixth at the API and 9th at TPC Sawgrass. He ranks 4th in Total Strokes Gained, 3rd in putting, 9th in bogey avoidance, and 14th in SG: Par 5. Theegala can score better than most but is one of the better scramblers in the field.
We open our card with 1.5 units on the young star.
Tom Hoge +5000 (bet365)
Another article favorite, Tom Hoge, occupies the second spot on this week’s betting card. Like Theegala, Hoge is in strong form in 2024 and could take advantage of a weaker field.
Hoge leads the field in SG: Approach and ranks second in proximity north of 200 yards. He is one of the more elite ball-strikers in the field and will be in the mix if he can keep his around-the-green woes in check. Hoge has not missed a cut since the Sony Open and has gained strokes putting in every event since except the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Despite losing 4.8 strokes putting, Hoge finished 12th. If he can stay even with the field on and around the greens, we should have a sweat with Tom on Sunday.
Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)
I am not sure I have ever placed an outright bet on Mackenzie Hughes. His ball striking leaves plenty to be desired, and his reputation as a chipping and putting specialist has yet to be discredited.
However, Hughes ranks 7th in SG: Par 5 over his last 24 rounds. He is 1st in SG: ARG but only 57th in putting. There is room for that putting number to go up and Hughes to capitalize on his recent form. Hughes was in the running in the Valspar on Sunday after holing out two bomb birdies putts. He fizzled and fell behind Peter Malnati and Cameron Young.
Hughes has made the cut and played well in his four appearances at the Houston Open. At 55-1, I don’t mind taking a shot and riding his hot form.
Andrew Novak +11000 (PointsBet)
Speaking of recent form, Andrew Novak has been on fire in the lesser-field events on TOUR this season. A hiccup at THE PLAYERS Championship was redeemed with a T20 finish at the Valspar Championship. Before the missed cut at The Players Championship, Novak notched three consecutive T10 finishes on TOUR.
He checks all of our statistical boxes outside of SG: OTT and SG: Putting — including top 10 in approach, around the green, and proximity at 200+ yards. At 110-1, Novak is a cheap way to round out our card.
2024 Houston Open Betting Card
| Golfer | Odds | Units | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sahith Theegala | +1800 | 1.5 | 27 |
| Tom Hoge | +5000 | 0.55 | 27.5 |
| Mackenzie Hughes | +5500 | 0.5 | 27.5 |
| Andrew Novak | +11000 | 0.25 | 27.5 |
One-and-Done Pick: Tom Hoge
Houston Open Units: 2.8
2024 Net Units: -19.45
The Masters Futures
With some promotional bonuses, I decided to start my Masters card with Scottie Scheffler outright bets. I am traveling to Augusta National for Championship Sunday and wanted to give myself an actual live sweat since devices are not allowed on the premises. So, as it stands, I have 112.5 free units on a Scheffler victory and will likely add more if any other promotions present themselves in the next couple of weeks.
Notwithstanding, we are desperate to climb out of our hole and secure an outright victory. Good luck with your golf betting picks and DFS lineups this week.
Follow me on X at @JoeCistaro to follow along with any additions, matchups, or top finishers I add to my outright betting card. Good luck with your wagers this week, and thanks for reading.
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