The PGA TOUR begins its two-week lead up to the Masters with the Texas Children’s Houston Open this week in Houston, Texas. Memorial Park will be the host course, and measures as a 7,475-yard par 70 with Poa Trivialis overseeded greens.
We have another full-field event on tap this week, with the top-65 and ties all making the 36-hole cut. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is currently the betting favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook at +350, while Rory McIlroy is not far behind at +650.
Below I have outlined my two favorite bets for the week.
Alex Smalley to win (+5500)
Smalley missed the cut at the Valspar last week, but that should not take away from the incredible season he has put together thus far. Through eight starts in 2025, Smalley has finished T21 or better six times, which includes a solo 11th at the Amex and T10 at the Mexico Open. He also had a very good fall swing as well, making four-of-five cuts with a T5 at the Sanderson Farms.
During this run, Smalley ranks fourth in this field in Total Strokes Gained, trailing only Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Michael Kim in that time frame. He’s also flashed some strong course history at Memorial Park in his career, posting finishes of T15 and T4 in two of his three starts in H-Town.
Smalley enters play this week in the best form of his career by far, and has even fixed his putting woes from years’ past which has been his biggest bugaboo. With top-six finishes at this event, and in both Puntacana and Mexico in his career, it’s clear Smalley enjoys the test of longer golf courses.
When you put all the contextual factors together, Smalley makes for a great outright bet this week at a very enticing 55/1
Max Greyserman to win (+6000)
After spending years on the Korn Ferry Tour, Greyserman finally made his PGA TOUR debut in 2024 and absolutely made the most of his rookie season. The 29-year-old posted five top-10 finishes in his 25 starts last year, including three runner-up performances at the ZOZO, Wyndham Championship and 3M Open. One of those top-10s also came here at Memorial Park, where he would finish T7.
Fast forward to 2025 and Greyserman has picked up right where he left off, having finished T25 or better in five-of-eight starts to begin the new year, including a T7 at the American Express. He is the ultimate driver/putter archetype, ranking No. 1 in this field in SG: Putting over the past 48 rounds, while sitting 31st in driving distance.
That skillset will absolutely play at Memorial Park, as it’s one of the longest courses on the PGA TOUR, where golfers are going to need to make their share of 20-footers if they want to contend. Greyserman has really played well at non-Signature events dating back to last summer, and while both Scheffler and McIlroy lurk this week, he’s absolutely in position to contend at a course he tore up on debut.
At 60/1, there is plenty to like here.