The PGA Tour is back in the US this week for another visit to Memorial Park for the Houston Open, this time under the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open brand.
While the Houston Open has been an integral part of the PGA Tour for years (since 1946), the event was postponed to October two years ago and the courses were postponed last year.
The Houston Golf Club is no longer hosting, but the Memorial Park Golf Course.
What can the past year tell us about the course?
Memorial Park Golf Course information
By: 70
Distance: 7,302
Average green size: 7,000
Green type: Bermuda
Stimpmeter: N / A
Last year’s winning points: -13
Last year’s cutting line: +3
| Memorial park Golf course |
By | Yards | vs average PGA tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4th | 522 | 121% |
| 2 | 3rd | 167 | 85% |
| 3rd | 5 | 587 | 104% |
| 4th | 4th | 490 | 114% |
| 5 | 4th | 440 | 102% |
| 6th | 4th | 443 | 103% |
| 7th | 3rd | 216 | 110% |
| 8th | 5 | 495 | 88% |
| 9 | 3rd | 202 | 103% |
| 10 | 4th | 456 | 106% |
| 11 | 3rd | 237 | 120% |
| 12th | 4th | 496 | 115% |
| 13th | 4th | 406 | 94% |
| 14th | 4th | 529 | 123% |
| fifteen | 3rd | 155 | 79% |
| 16 | 5 | 576 | 102% |
| 17th | 4th | 382 | 89% |
| 18th | 4th | 503 | 117% |
| total |
70 |
7,302 |
101% |
One of the main points here is that the greens in Memorial Park are bigger than usual (the average is about 6,000 square feet), but that didn’t produce great results a year ago.
Last year’s winner Carlos Ortiz, finished 13-under par and only Masters winner Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama with 11-under were also double-digit under par.
There was a bit of wind at the weekend, but not all week last year.
It is noteworthy that we have six holes that are at least 110% as long as the average hole of the same par on the PGA Tour in Memorial Park. This includes three 500-plus-yard par 4s and one 237-yard par 3.
Key stats for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open
– Strokes Scored: Approach
– Strokes Scored: Off the Tee
– Birdie or better price
– Strokes Scored: Around the Green
– Strokes achieved: Bermuda. attract
There is no clear distance or angle of accuracy this week, but strokes are increasing: from the tee it makes sense to aim given the total distance on some of the holes – especially the long par 4s.
In the past year there has been a strong emphasis on winning strokes: all around the green. Ortiz took second place in these statistics, and two other top five finishers in Matsuyama (11th in strokes won: around the green) and Talor Gooch (10th) were the top 12 in the statistics.
Golfers with a history of courses at Memorial Park Golf Course
These golfers ended up in the top 25 here last year.
| Golfer | End |
|---|---|
| Carlos Ortiz | 1 |
| Talor Gooch | 4th |
| Brooks Koepka, Sepp Straka | T5 |
| Sam Burns, Jason Day, Tyrrell Hatton, Mackenzie Hughes | T7 |
| Adam Long, Shane Lowry, Aaron Wise | T11 |
| Russell Knox, Francesco Molinari, Harold Varner III | T15 |
| Maverick McNealy, JT Poston, Dawie Van Der Walt, Erik Van Rooyen | T20 |
| Tony Finau, Brian Harman | T24 |