HOUSTON — With the calendar turning toward Augusta, the PGA Tour makes its final Texas stop this week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open — and the betting board reflects a wide-open race as players look to find form before the Masters.
At the top sits defending champion Min Woo Lee, who enters as the favorite to win at Memorial Park Golf Course, listed around +1300 on FanDuel after opening at longer odds earlier in the week.
Lee’s rise to the top of the odds board comes as no surprise.
The Australian broke through at this event a year ago, setting a tournament scoring record while showcasing elite ball-striking and a red-hot putter. () Now, he returns in strong form, having made every cut this season and already contending in multiple events, including a runner-up finish at Pebble Beach.
With world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler withdrawing earlier in the week due to the birth of his child, the door has opened for a new group of contenders to take center stage.
Among them is Chris Gotterup, listed in the +1600 to +1800 range, who has quickly become one of the more consistent players on Tour early in 2026. () Jake Knapp follows closely behind at roughly +2000, continuing to build momentum with steady finishes this season.
A pair of established names — Sam Burns and Brooks Koepka — are also firmly in the mix at around +2200. () Burns’ all-around game and putting ability make him a natural fit at Memorial Park, while Koepka’s power and major pedigree always demand attention, particularly as the calendar nears April.
Further down the board, players like Nicolai Højgaard (+2500) and a deep group of contenders hovering between +3000 and +4000 reflect the depth of a field that, while missing some top-ranked stars, offers plenty of opportunity.
That opportunity is part of what makes this week so compelling.
Memorial Park, a par-70 layout stretching over 7,400 yards, places a premium on driving and ball-striking, often rewarding aggressive play while exposing any lingering weaknesses. () With Augusta just weeks away, players are balancing the urgency to compete with the need to fine-tune their games.
For Lee, the stakes are clear: a chance to become the first repeat winner of this event in more than two decades. For the rest of the field, it’s an opportunity to build momentum — or salvage it — before the season’s first major.
And as history has shown, momentum this time of year can carry a long way.
With a $9 million-plus purse, a demanding course and the Masters looming, the Houston Open once again serves as both a proving ground and a launching pad.
The favorites are established. The field is hungry. And with time running out before Augusta, the urgency has never been higher.
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