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2021 HPE Houston Open: Best DFS plays from each price range

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As the fall season begins to wind down, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in Houston, Texas, to play the 2021 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

In the past, the Tour has gone to Houston the week before the Masters, but the schedule change this season has resulted in the event being featured in the swing season. This will be the second year of a two year contract with Memorial Park as the tournament’s host.

Memorial Park Golf Course is a Par 70 layout, measuring 7,432 yards and features Bermudagrass greens. Historically, the main defense for the course will be fairly thick rough and tightly mowed runoff areas around the greens. Memorial Park also features three Par 5’s and five Par 3 holes.

The field will consist of 132 players with the top 65 and ties making the cut. There are some big names making the trip to Houston, including: Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton, Sungjae Im, Joaquin Niemann, Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Reed and Adam Scott.

Let’s take a look at each DraftKings price range and identify the best plays for each in GPP’s.

10,000+

Scottie Scheffler $10,900

Although he didn’t do quite enough to earn a win in Mexico, Scottie still comes to Houston with a great deal of momentum and confidence. The former Texas Longhorn has shown throughout his career that he enjoys returning to the state that he has called home since the age of six. Last season, he finished runner up to Billy Horschel at the WGC Match Play in Austin, Texas.

On paper, Scheffler has the proper skill set to tame Memorial Park Golf Course which may prove to be a tough test if it plays like it did last season. When looking at the leaderboard from the inaugural tournament at Memorial Park, what stands out immediately is golfers who hit the ball long and straight peppered the leaderboard. Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Sam Burns, and Hideki Matsuyama all finished in the top seven of the event and Scottie’s skillset mirrors theirs nicely.

9,000+

Tyrrell Hatton $10,000:

One of the most important aspects of competing at Memorial Park Golf Club is being able to scramble around the greens, and few on Tour do that better than Tyrrell Hatton. The course has an abundance of steep run off areas that can cause some real trouble on the scorecard if a player isn’t careful. Last year, Carlos Ortiz gained almost seven strokes around the green, and Hatton has the crafty know-how to replicate that this week.

While his finish last week in Mexico was just average, the Englishman has played some good golf recently and finished in a tie for 2nd at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship five weeks ago and 18th at the CJ Cup in October.

Hatton’s tendency to get a little loose off of the tee is most definitely a concern this week, but Memorial Park may suit his eye as he finished tied for ninth in the field last season here in Greens in Regulation Gained. The 30-year-old also seemed to like the undulating green complexes and gained 5.8 strokes putting which ranked seventh in the field.

8,000+

Marc Leishman $8,700:

Marc has gotten off to a hot start in 2021 with two top five finishes in his last three starts. He also putts very well on Bermuda greens, gaining about 0.3 strokes per round on the surface. Additionally, Australians have fared very well on golf courses in Texas, and Leishman is no exception. I also think the win equity that Leishman carries at a likely lower ownership this week will give DFS players a chance to cash in on a large field GPP.

7,000+

Ian Poulter $7,300:

When discussing golfer’s who have had excellent results in the state of Texas, you’d be hard-pressed not to mention the name Ian Poulter. In 2018, Poults willed his way to victory at Golf Club of Houston by defeating Beau Hossler in a playoff, which earned him a trip to Augusta National the following week. Last season, Poulter showed once again that he loves a Texas Track by finishing in a tie for third place at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

In his four most recent trips to Texas, Poulter is averaging more than three strokes putting on the field per event. The Englishman feels more than comfortable on fast bermudagrass greens and should be up to the challenge once again in Houston.

A tough test where scrambling is key really suits Poulter’s game, as evidenced by the fact that he gains about 0.6 strokes per round on the field in difficult conditions. Additionally, he ranks 8th in the field in Scrambling Gained which will absolutely play a factor on these tough green complexes.

6,000+

Henrik Stenson $6,700:

Continuing with the theme of golfers who have had great results throughout their career in the state of Texas, Henrik Stenson fits the bill exceptionally. His current form is admittedly atrocious, and that is a concern coming into the week. With that being said, he shouldn’t have to go extremely low to keep pace with the cut line.

Even when he isn’t playing his best, Stenson has always had the ability to grind out pars when the golf course is playing tough. The Swede also isn’t too far removed from decent form as he ended the European Tour season with a few strong finishes including a 3rd place finish at the Omega European Masters at the end of August.

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19th Hole

54-hole golf tour deemed eligible for OWGR points…but it’s not LIV

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After a seventeen-month application process, a 54-hole golf tour was deemed eligible for OWGR points.

Unfortunately, for LIV Golf and their fans, it was the Clutch Pro Tour.

After the decision, which is effective immediately, OWGR chairman Peter Dawson issued a statement.

“This is a significant milestone for golf, and OWGR is deeply encouraged by the achievement and the continued efforts in developing the sport of golf in the United Kingdom.”

“We look forward to watching the progress of the Clutch Pro Tour as it continues to play a key role in the development of players from the region,” Dawson added.

The Clutch Pro Tour operates in the United Kingdom and features a 36-hole cut. It also has an open qualifying school.

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Charlie Woods attempting to qualify for spot at 2024 U.S. Open

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As first reported by Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated, Charlie Woods will be attempting to qualify for this year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

The first stage of qualifying for this year’s tournament will be an 18-hole local event on Thursday, April 25th, in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

There will be 84 players in the field, five of which will reach the 36-hole qualifier that will take place in June.

Earlier this season, Charlie attempted to qualify for the Cognizant Classic, and struggled, shooting an 86.

If the younger Woods is able to qualify, he will tee it up in the same field as his father in a few months at one of the more historic U.S. Open venues.

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Why Ludvig Aberg is my new favorite player – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been discussing one of the new sensations in the world of golf – Ludvig Aberg. The 24-year-old finished solo second at the Masters a couple of weeks ago, and gained many plaudits, including from several WRXers.

One member, RoyalMustang, took to the forums to explain why Aberg is now their favorite player, saying:

“I loved the way the Ludvig was out there, having a great time, not taking himself or the situation too seriously. Even after the double at 11, he was like “well, that’s golf!” Loose and relaxed: that’s the way to play. It’s obvious he loves what he’s doing, he loves the big moments, and he loves being a part of it all.

Arnold Palmer was viewed that way. Just like Brooks Robinson was forever viewed as not just a great baseball player, but a great human being and friend to Baltimore.”

And our members have been reacting and sharing their positive takes on the young Swede.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • redfirebird08: “Ludvig has a great attitude, a great smile, and a great golf swing.”
  • otto6457: “I’m very lucky to have talked with Ludde several times at the Rawls Course at Texas Tech.  He’s a truly nice guy and very friendly.  Always said hello when we passed each other in the club house and was always smiling. Watching him hit balls on the range was a joy.  He has “that sound” and trajectory to die for.  There were many times he was out on the range in 30+ mph winds just hitting the most beautiful shots that just seemed to ignore the wind.  World class ball striker. And yes……..I am a fan boy.”
  • konklifer: “I like him. In an era of endless waggles and laboring, his swing and pace of play are a joy to watch.

Entire Thread: “Why Ludvig Aberg is my new favorite player – GolfWRXers discuss”

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