The Texas Children's Houston Open is a professional golf tournament in Texas on the PGA Tour, played in March. As a part of a restructuring of the schedule, the event moved to the fall in 2019. Because the tour year starts the previous fall, the event was not a part of the 2019 PGA Tour, but was one of the first events of the 2020 PGA Tour.[2] It is held at the Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course in Harris County near downtown Houston and the Galleria.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Established | 1946[1] |
| Course(s) | Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 7,432 yards (6,796 m) |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$9,100,000 |
| Month played | March |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 264 Tony Finau (2022) |
| To par | −22 Vijay Singh (2002) |
| Current champion | |
 Stephan Jäger | |
| Location map | |
  Memorial Park Municipal GC Location in the United States  Memorial Park Municipal GC Location in Texas | |
History edit
The event was played at several Houston venues until the 1970s, starting 78 years ago at River Oaks Country Club in 1946 before moving to Memorial Park Golf Course in 1947 and, after a year off, moving again to Pine Forest Country Club in 1949 and BraeBurn Country Club in 1950. After this period of wandering, the tournament settled in at Memorial Park from 1951 through 1963. It was at Sharpstown Country Club in 1964 and 1965, moved to Champions Golf Club in 1966 for six years, and then to Westwood Country Club in 1972.
The tournament ventured outside of the city limits in 1973 and 1974 at Quail Valley Country Club in Missouri City, a southwest suburb.[3] It relocated north to The Woodlands in 1975, at Woodlands Country Club until 1984, then at the TPC at The Woodlands through 2002. It moved to near Humble in 2003, where it stayed for 17 years; initially played at the Members Course, it changed to the Tournament Course in 2006. The facility was known as Redstone Golf Club until December 2013, and is now the Golf Club of Houston.[4][5]
Previously held weeks later in mid-spring, the Houston Open was played the week before the Masters Tournament from 2007 through 2018 (except 2013, when it was two weeks before the Masters), and was the last chance to get into the field at Augusta through a win. The tournament also had up to four additional sponsor exemptions to enable nonmember Masters-qualified professionals from the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking to compete in the U.S. in the week prior to the Masters.[6]
Shell Oil Company sponsored the event from 1992 through 2017. When the end of Shell's sponsorship was announced, the PGA Tour said it would seek a new sponsor for 2018.[7] At that time, Houston Astros owner Jim Crane led a group of new sponsors who signed a five-year deal with the PGA Tour to ensure that the event stayed in Houston.[8] The tournament is now operated under the Astros Foundation, under the umbrella Astros Golf Foundation, with a new logo inspired by the Astros' "Rainbow Guts" uniforms of the 1980s.[9][10]
Because of the wraparound calendar, there was no 2019 season event. The 2019 event moved to October and declared a 2020 season event, the last event held at the Golf Club of Houston. For the 2021 season (November 2020), it moved to the renovated Memorial Park Golf Course.[11] The Astros Foundation committed $34 million to renovate and redesign the golf course facilities with input from golfer Brooks Koepka. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PGA Tour announced schedule changes to the 2020–21 season schedule and moved the Houston Open to November 5–8, one week before the Masters Tournament. The tournament was sponsored by Vivint and the Astros Foundation allowed spectators.
The 2022 season (November 2021) event was sponsored by Hewlett Packard Enterprise.[12]
The 2023 season (November 2022) event was sponsored by Cadence Bank.[13]
The 2024 event will see a return to a calendar-year format for the PGA Tour, with the event returning to a spring date in March, being sponsored by Texas Children's Hospital.[14]
Winners edit
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Purse (US$) |
Winner's share ($) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Children's Houston Open | ||||||||
| 2024 | Stephan Jäger |
268 | −12 | 1 stroke |  Thomas Detry Tony Finau Taylor Moore Scottie Scheffler Alejandro Tosti |
9,100,000 | 1,638,000 | |
| 2023: No tournament | ||||||||
| Cadence Bank Houston Open | ||||||||
| 2022 | Tony Finau |
264 | −16 | 4 strokes | Tyson Alexander |
8,400,000 | 1,512,000 | |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open | ||||||||
| 2021 | Jason Kokrak |
270 | −10 | 2 strokes | Scottie Scheffler Kevin Tway |
7,500,000 | 1,350,000 | |
| Vivint Houston Open | ||||||||
| 2020 |  Carlos Ortiz |
267 | −13 | 2 strokes | Dustin Johnson Hideki Matsuyama |
7,000,000 | 1,260,000 | |
| Houston Open | ||||||||
| 2019 | Lanto Griffin |
274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Scott Harrington Mark Hubbard |
7,500,000 | 1,350,000 | |
| 2018 |  Ian Poulter |
269 | −19 | Playoff | Beau Hossler |
7,000,000 | 1,260,000 | |
| Shell Houston Open | ||||||||
| 2017 | Russell Henley |
268 | −20 | 3 strokes |  Kang Sung-hoon |
7,000,000 | 1,260,000 | |
| 2016 | Jim Herman |
273 | −15 | 1 stroke |  Henrik Stenson |
6,800,000 | 1,224,000 | |
| 2015 | J. B. Holmes |
272 | −16 | Playoff | Jordan Spieth Johnson Wagner |
6,600,000 | 1,188,000 | |
| 2014 |  Matt Jones |
273 | −15 | Playoff | Matt Kuchar |
6,400,000 | 1,152,000 | |
| 2013 | D. A. Points |
272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Billy Horschel Henrik Stenson |
6,200,000 | 1,116,000 | |
| 2012 | Hunter Mahan |
272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Carl Pettersson |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| 2011 | Phil Mickelson |
268 | −20 | 3 strokes | Chris Kirk Scott Verplank |
5,900,000 | 1,062,000 | |
| 2010 | Anthony Kim |
276 | −12 | Playoff | Vaughn Taylor |
5,800,000 | 1,044,000 | |
| 2009 | Paul Casey |
277 | −11 | Playoff | J. B. Holmes |
5,700,000 | 1,026,000 | |
| 2008 | Johnson Wagner |
272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Chad Campbell Geoff Ogilvy |
5,600,000 | 1,008,000 | |
| 2007 | Adam Scott |
271 | −17 | 3 strokes | Stuart Appleby Bubba Watson |
5,500,000 | 990,000 | |
| 2006 | Stuart Appleby (2) |
269 | −19 | 6 strokes | Bob Estes |
5,500,000 | 990,000 | |
| 2005 |  Vijay Singh (3) |
275 | −13 | Playoff | John Daly |
5,000,000 | 900,000 | |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh (2) |
277 | −11 | 2 strokes | Scott Hoch |
5,000,000 | 900,000 | |
| 2003 | Fred Couples |
267 | −21 | 4 strokes | Stuart Appleby Mark Calcavecchia Hank Kuehne |
4,500,000 | 810,000 | |
| 2002 | Vijay Singh |
266 | −22 | 6 strokes |  Darren Clarke |
4,000,000 | 720,000 | |
| 2001 | Hal Sutton |
278 | −10 | 3 strokes | Joe Durant Lee Janzen |
3,400,000 | 612,000 | |
| 2000 | Robert Allenby |
275 | −13 | Playoff | Craig Stadler |
2,800,000 | 504,000 | |
| 1999 | Stuart Appleby |
279 | −9 | 1 stroke | John Cook Hal Sutton |
2,500,000 | 450,000 | |
| 1998 | David Duval |
276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Jeff Maggert |
2,000,000 | 360,000 | |
| 1997 | Phil Blackmar |
276 | −12 | Playoff | Kevin Sutherland |
1,600,000 | 288,000 | |
| 1996 | Mark Brooks |
274 | −14 | Playoff | Jeff Maggert |
1,500,000 | 270,000 | |
| 1995 | Payne Stewart |
276 | −12 | Playoff | Scott Hoch |
1,400,000 | 252,000 | |
| 1994 | Mike Heinen |
272 | −16 | 3 strokes | Tom Kite Jeff Maggert Hal Sutton |
1,300,000 | 234,000 | |
| 1993 | Jim McGovern |
199[a] | −17 | Playoff | John Huston |
1,300,000 | 234,000 | |
| 1992 | Fred Funk |
272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Kirk Triplett |
1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| Independent Insurance Agent Open | ||||||||
| 1991 |  Fulton Allem |
273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Billy Ray Brown Mike Hulbert Tom Kite |
800,000 | 144,000 | |
| 1990 | Tony Sills |
204[a] | −12 | Playoff | Gil Morgan |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1989 | Mike Sullivan |
280 | −8 | 1 stroke | Craig Stadler |
800,000 | 144,000 | |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange (3) |
270 | −18 | Playoff | Greg Norman |
700,000 | 126,000 | |
| Big "I" Houston Open | ||||||||
| 1987 | Jay Haas |
276 | −12 | Playoff | Buddy Gardner |
600,000 | 108,000 | |
| Houston Open | ||||||||
| 1986 | Curtis Strange (2) |
274 | −14 | Playoff | Calvin Peete |
500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1985 | Raymond Floyd |
277 | −11 | 1 stroke | David Frost Bob Lohr |
500,000 | 90,000 | |
| Houston Coca-Cola Open | ||||||||
| 1984 | Corey Pavin |
274 | −10 | 1 stroke | Buddy Gardner |
500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1983 | David Graham |
275 | −9 | 5 strokes | Lee Elder Jim Thorpe Lee Trevino |
400,000 | 72,000 | |
| Michelob-Houston Open | ||||||||
| 1982 | Ed Sneed |
275 | −9 | Playoff | Bob Shearer |
350,000 | 63,000 | |
| 1981 | Ron Streck |
198[a] | −15 | 3 strokes | Hale Irwin Jerry Pate |
262,500 | 47,250 | |
| 1980 | Curtis Strange |
266 | −18 | Playoff | Lee Trevino |
350,000 | 63,000 | |
| Houston Open | ||||||||
| 1979 | Wayne Levi |
268 | −16 | 2 strokes | Mike Brannan |
300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1978 |  Gary Player |
270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Andy Bean |
200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1977 | Gene Littler |
276 | −12 | 3 strokes | Lanny Wadkins |
200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1976 | Lee Elder |
278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Forrest Fezler |
200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1975 | Bruce Crampton (2) |
273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Gil Morgan |
150,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1974 | Dave Hill |
276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Rod Curl Steve Melnyk Andy North |
150,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1973 | Bruce Crampton |
277 | −11 | 1 stroke | Dave Stockton |
205,000 | 41,000 | |
| 1972 | Bruce Devlin |
278 | −10 | 2 strokes | Tommy Aaron Lou Graham Doug Sanders |
125,000 | 25,000 | |
| Houston Champions International | ||||||||
| 1971 | Hubert Green |
280 | −4 | Playoff | Don January |
125,000 | 25,000 | |
| 1970 | Gibby Gilbert |
282 | −2 | Playoff | Bruce Crampton |
115,000 | 23,000 | |
| 1969: No tournament - club hosted the 1969 U.S. Open | ||||||||
| 1968 | Roberto De Vicenzo |
274 | −10 | 1 stroke | Lee Trevino |
100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1967 | Frank Beard |
274 | −10 | 1 stroke | Arnold Palmer |
115,000 | 23,000 | |
| 1966 | Arnold Palmer (2) |
275 | −9 | 1 stroke | Gardner Dickinson |
110,000 | 21,000 | |
| Houston Classic | ||||||||
| 1965 | Bobby Nichols (2) |
273 | −11 | 1 stroke | Bruce Devlin Chi-Chi Rodríguez |
75,000 | 12,000 | |
| 1964 | Mike Souchak (2) |
278 | −6 | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
50,000 | 7,500 | |
| 1963 |  Bob Charles |
268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Fred Hawkins |
50,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1962 | Bobby Nichols |
278 | −2 | Playoff | Jack Nicklaus Dan Sikes |
50,000 | 9,000 | |
| 1961 | Jay Hebert |
276 | −4 | Playoff | Ken Venturi |
40,000 | 7,000 | |
| 1960 |  Bill Collins |
280 | −8 | Playoff | Arnold Palmer |
35,000 | 5,300 | |
| 1959 |  Jack Burke Jr. (2) |
277 | −11 | Playoff | Julius Boros |
30,000 | 4,300 | |
| Houston Open | ||||||||
| 1958 | Ed Oliver |
281 | −7 | 1 stroke | Roberto De Vicenzo Jay Hebert |
30,000 | 4,300 | |
| 1957 | Arnold Palmer |
279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Doug Ford |
36,000 | 7,500 | |
| 1956 | Ted Kroll |
277 | −11 | 3 strokes | Jack Burke Jr. Dave Douglas |
30,000 | 6,000 | |
| 1955 | Mike Souchak |
273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Jerry Barber |
30,000 | 6,000 | |
| 1954 | Dave Douglas |
277 | −11 | 2 strokes | Cary Middlecoff |
30,000 | 6,000 | |
| 1953 | Cary Middlecoff (2) |
283 | −5 | Playoff | Jim Ferrier Shelley Mayfield Bill Nary Earl Stewart |
20,000 | 4,000 | |
| 1952 | Jack Burke Jr. |
277 | −11 | 6 strokes | Frank Stranahan |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1951 | Marty Furgol |
277 | −11 | 1 stroke | Jack Burke Jr. |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1950 | Cary Middlecoff |
277 | −11 | 3 strokes | Pete Cooper |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1949 | Johnny Palmer |
272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Cary Middlecoff |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1948: No tournament | ||||||||
| 1947 | Bobby Locke |
277 | −11 | 5 strokes | Johnny Palmer Ellsworth Vines |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1946 | Byron Nelson |
274 | −10 | 2 strokes | Ben Hogan |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[15][16][17]
Multiple winners edit
Nine men have won this tournament more than once through 2024.
- 3 wins
- Curtis Strange: 1980, 1986, 1988
- Vijay Singh: 2002, 2004, 2005
- 2 wins
- Cary Middlecoff: 1950, 1953
- Jack Burke Jr.: 1952, 1959
- Mike Souchak: 1955, 1964
- Bobby Nichols: 1962, 1965
- Arnold Palmer: 1957, 1966
- Bruce Crampton: 1973, 1975
- Stuart Appleby: 1999, 2006
See also edit
- Houston Open (early PGA Tour), an earlier Houston event recognized by the PGA Tour
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ "Champions Archive". Archived from the original on April 1, 2012.
- ^ Ferguson, Doug (June 12, 2018). "Houston Open moves to fall in 2019; no word about Twin Cities event". Star Tribune. Associated Press.
- ^ "Dave Hill, Melnyk in Houston lead at 137". Chicago Tribune. wire services. May 12, 1974. p. 4, sec. 3.
- ^ "Around sports: Redstone Golf Club undergoes name change". Houston Chronicle. staff and wire reports. December 6, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
- ^ Bailey, Mike (December 9, 2013). "Houston PGA Tour host Redstone Golf Club receives name change by new ownership". Retrieved March 31, 2016.
- ^ "2015–16 PGA Tour Player Handbook & Tournament Regulations" (PDF). October 5, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2016.
- ^ "Shell to end longtime sponsorship with Houston Open". Associated Press. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
- ^ "Houston Astros owner Jim Crane signs 5-year deal to save Houston Open: Report". thegolfnewsnet.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Jim Crane Makes the Houston Open the Surest Bet in Golf – Proven Builder Will Not Let This Tournament Fail". PaperCity Magazine. July 24, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Jim Crane saves the Houston Open". The Stiff Shaft. June 12, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Astros Golf Foundation unveils 2019 Houston Open dates". KTRK-TV. January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ^ "Astros Golf Foundation and PGA Tour partner with Hewlett Packard Enterprise to sponsor the Houston Open in 2021". PGA Tour. November 1, 2021.
- ^ "Astros Golf Foundation and PGA Tour Announce Cadence Bank as the Title Sponsor of the 2022 Houston Open". PGA Tour. August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ Dean, Richard (May 31, 2023). "Texas Children's is new title sponsor of Houston Open golf". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "Houston Open - Past Winners & Runners-up". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
- ^ Shell Houston Open - Winners- at golfobserver.com Archived May 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 2010 Shell Houston Open Media Guide Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
External links edit
- Official website
- Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site