| TV:<\/td> | Golf Channel, NBC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Houston Open Course: TPC San Antonio \u2013 The Oaks Course<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio stands out as one of the tougher and more\u00a0 distinctive challenges on the PGA Tour. Designed by Greg Norman, this 7,438- yard Par 72 demands power and precision, with tight fairways that require 300+\u00a0yard carries and penal rough waiting for any miss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Add in natural hazards like\u00a0 rocks, brush, and native vegetation, and it\u2019s easy to see how this course can unravel\u00a0 even the best players\u2014just ask Kevin Na, who famously carded a 16 here.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The Champion Bermudagrass greens, overseeded with Poa Trivialis, are large,\u00a0 multi-tiered, and perched up, making approach shots difficult and creating tricky\u00a0runoffs into collection areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The putting surfaces often rank among the top 10\u00a0hardest to hit in regulation, further stressing the importance of strong iron play and\u00a0scrambling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Scoring conditions are always wind-dependent in Texas, and this week looks no\u00a0different. Winds around 10\u201315 mph are expected throughout the week, with rain\u00a0and possible thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday morning likely to soften the\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n course temporarily. While the rain may make the greens more receptive, the\u00a0swirling winds and long layout still make for a stern test. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Players who can manage\u00a0 the wind, avoid trouble off the tee, and navigate the complex green surrounds will\u00a0 have the best chance to contend at this ball-striker\u2019s track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Texas Open Marquee Holes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nFavorite Hole<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n11th Hole - Par 4 418 Yards\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nI like holes that have obstacles in the fairways, and this hole has not 1, but 3\u00a0bunkers in the fairway near the landing area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The main bunker can be cleared by\u00a0drives, but drives that land to the right side of the fairway have a chance to get into the 2 smaller, annoying bunkers making the approach a bit more difficult.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n However, drives that land in the fairway will set up birdie opportunities as the\u00a0approach will be short coming into a big green that\u2019s gettable.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n 18th Hole - Par 5 610 Yards\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is not an easy Par 5 to end the round with so I\u2019m a fan. The landing area for\u00a0tee shots is a bit narrow, but hitting the fairway is the only way to have a prayer at\u00a0 getting there in 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Even if guys hit the fairway, I think most of the second shots\u00a0will be layups to set up a 100 yard or less approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Any tee shot that misses the\u00a0 fairway probably won\u2019t have too many issues laying up, but where to place the\u00a0second shot is interesting as the fairway is separated by the green by a dirt ditch\u00a0area so players will have to decide if they want to go left or right for the approach\u00a0landing area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not sure there\u2019s much difference in right or left, but this hole\u00a0 comes down to the third shot which is different for a lot of the Par 5\u2019s on tour. It\u2019s\u00a0 a good finishing hole, but not terrible challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Texas Open: Players That Can Trip You Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nLudvig Aberg\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nHe has all the upside in the world as he\u2019s shown, and he already has a win this\u00a0 year, but since then he\u2019s finished MC and 22nd, and he\u2019s outside the Top 30 in this field for total strokes gained the last 30 days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n It looks like it\u2019s his irons as he\u2019s\u00a0 negative strokes gained approach and around the green, and I will add that it\u2019s not\u00a0a good place to be with Augusta next week so he\u2019ll be using this week to get dialed in, and I wonder if his #1 motivating factor this week is winning or if this is all\u00a0about practicing for next week. Either way, I won\u2019t be betting on him this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Corey Conners\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nI\u2019m not falling for Conners. He\u2019s the ultimate guy that plays good for a few\u00a0 tournaments, he sucks you in, you bet on him and he falls apart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n He\u2019s finished Top\u00a010 in 3 straight tournaments, and he\u2019s never done that before in his career so I\u2019m\u00a0just expecting the regression on him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Before the Top 10s, he finished 24th, 74th,\u00a065th, MC so I think he\u2019s ready to lay and egg, and I won\u2019t fall for it again.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Patrick Cantlay\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nHe\u2019s never played this tournament or this course so I don\u2019t know why he\u2019s playing\u00a0 it this week. The last 4 years, he hasn\u2019t played 1 tournament between The Players\u00a0and The Masters so this is out of sorts for him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n He\u2019s also finished 31st and 12th the\u00a0last 2 tournaments so his current form isn\u2019t great for his standards. He\u2019s priced as\u00a0a Top 5 guy this week, I\u2019m not real confident he\u2019ll return results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Texas Open: DraftKings Darlings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nSami Valimaki $7100<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nHe\u2019s playing well as of late, especially his 4th place finish last week, and that\u2019s 5\u00a0made cuts in a row for him. He\u2019s +0.21 tee-to-green and +0.43 putting the last 30\u00a0 days so I\u2019ll ride with him one more week.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Sam Ryder $7200\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nThe streak continues as Ryder made the cut again last week, and that\u2019s 9 straight\u00a0 made cuts to start 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n His tee-to-green isn\u2019t great, but his putting has been\u00a0fantastic, and a hot putter is all we need to keep making cuts with Ryder.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Jesper Svensson $7200\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nHe\u2019s made 6 cuts in a row, and he was 27th last week so he\u2019s shown Top 30\u00a0upside. He can hit the ball a mile, and his putting has been really good this season\u00a0at +0.55 strokes gained putting, and his approaches have been the weak part of his\u00a0 game, but hopefully the rest of his game makes up for it for another made cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Final Lineup:<\/strong> Sami Valimaki $7100, Sam Ryder $7200, Jesper Svensson $7200,\u00a0Bud Cauley $8300, Daniel Berger $9200, $10,700<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n |
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