Shell Houston Open
March 31st – April 3rd, 2016
Golf Club of Houston (Tournament Course)
Humble, Texas
Par: 72 / Yardage:
Purse: $6.8 million
with $1,224,000 to the winner
Defending Champion:
J.B. Holmes

This week’s field includes:
The field includes 38 of the top 100 and 17 of the top 50 in the latest Official World Rankings, with five players from the top-ten: #2 Jordan Spieth, #5 Rickie Fowler, #7 Henrik Stenson, #9 Dustin Johnson and #10 Patrick Reed. The other top 50 players are #11 Louis Oosthuizen, #15 Sergio Garcia, #18 Brooks Koepka, #20 Phil Mickelson, #21 Charl Schwartzel, #23 J.B. Holmes, #24 Jimmy Walker, #32 Shane Lowry, #36 Rafael Cabrera Bello, #40 Bernd Wiesberger, #41 Thongchai Jaidee, #48 Scott Piercy.
Last year was also 21 top-50 players
The field includes 7 of the top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2016. Those players are #16 Charl Schwartzel, #17 Patrick Reed, #18 Rickie Fowler, #19 Phil Mickelson, #20 Kevin Chappell, #24 Charles Howell III and #25 Tony Finau.
The field includes 7 players in the top 25 on this year’s PGA Tour money list. Those players are #13 Patrick Reed, #15 Phil Mickelson, #16 Rickie Fowler, #17 Charl Schwartzel, #20 Kevin Chappell, #21 Louis Oosthuizen and #24 Vaughn Taylor.
The field includes 9 past champions: J.B. Holmes (2015), Matt Jones (2014), D.A. Points (2013), Hunter Mahan (2012), Phil Mickelson (2011), Johnson Wagner (2008), Stuart Appleby (2006 & 1999), Vijay Singh (2005, ’04 & ’02) and Robert Allenby (2000).
A perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the Shell Houston Open field is our performance chart listed by average finish. Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the Shell Houston Open in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the Shell Houston Open.
A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.
Another cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmaker in Las Vegas.
**NOTE**
One thing to look for is our new GOLFstats IQ. For those that play in fantasy golf it’s a perfect way to help you pick those players in Draft Kings and Victiv games. You can customize the list of those in the tournaments, to look back a couple or many years of tournament stats and you can go back a couple or ten weeks prior to the tournament. On top of that, all the stats are fully sortable to help you pick your six players, we even give you their value for the week to help you chose.
That’s GOLFstats IQ, give it a try and tell us what you think of it
24/7 GOLF
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We have the perfect solution for you. If you own a Iphone or a Ipad we have developed a perfect app called 24/7 GOLF.
It gives you everything that you need to know about golf, you have all the players results and every tournament result, again at your fingertips. It’s very easy to use and you can take a good amout of GOLFstats with you everyplace. No need to get home and check things out on your computer at home, you can answer any question with your Ipad.
So check it out, just hit this link to get 24/7 GOLF:
Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:
Who’s Hot in the field for the Shell Houston Open
Player | WGC-Dell Match Play | Puerto Rico | Arnold Palmer | Indian Open | Valspar | Thailand Classic | WGC-Cadillac | Honda Classic | Handa Perth | Northern Trust | Malaysian Open | AT&T Pebble | Tshwane Open |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Louis Oosthuizen (354.33 pts) |
2 (150) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T7 (55) |
DNP | T14 (36) |
DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | T12 (25.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Charl Schwartzel (260.33 pts) |
T18 (48) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | T17 (33) |
DNP | DNP | T45 (3.33) |
DNP | DNP | Win (44) |
Dustin Johnson (197.33 pts) |
T5 (105) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T14 (36) |
DNP | DNP | 4 (53.33) |
DNP | T41 (3) |
DNP |
Rafael Cabrera-Bello (183.33 pts) |
3 (135) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T36 (9.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Scott Brown (178.67 pts) |
DNP | T5 (70) |
T27 (23) |
DNP | T7 (55) |
DNP | DNP | T10 (26.67) |
DNP | T39 (7.33) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Brooks Koepka (164.67 pts) |
T5 (105) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T23 (27) |
T26 (16) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T8 (16.67) |
DNP |
Phil Mickelson (160 pts) |
T18 (48) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 5 (70) |
T37 (8.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (33.33) |
DNP |
Henrik Stenson (151 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T3 (90) |
DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | T28 (22) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Sergio Garcia (147 pts) |
T18 (48) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T11 (39) |
2 (66.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Patrick Reed (135.83 pts) |
T9 (67.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T7 (55) |
DNP | T52 (0) |
CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T6 (20) |
DNP |
Jordan Spieth (135.5 pts) |
T9 (67.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T18 (32) |
DNP | T17 (33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T21 (9.67) |
DNP |
Tony Finau (115.67 pts) |
DNP | Win (132) |
T43 (7) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Kevin Chappell (112.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | T67 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T26 (16) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Rickie Fowler (108 pts) |
T38 (18) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T8 (50) |
T6 (40) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Graham Delaet (102.33 pts) |
DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | DNP | T5 (70) |
DNP | DNP | T53 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Patton Kizzire (100.5 pts) |
T9 (67.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T33 (17) |
DNP | DNP | T26 (16) |
DNP | T52 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Steve Marino (98.67 pts) |
DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 34 (5.33) |
DNP |
Charley Hoffman (90 pts) |
T38 (18) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | T17 (33) |
DNP | DNP | T63 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Rodolfo Cazaubon (90 pts) |
DNP | T3 (90) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Jimmy Walker (89 pts) |
T38 (18) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 6 (60) |
T43 (4.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T11 (13) |
DNP |
Jason Kokrak (86.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T20 (30) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T2 (66.67) |
DNP | T30 (6.67) |
DNP |
Jamie Lovemark (86.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T6 (60) |
DNP | T37 (13) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T20 (20) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Nick Taylor (82.67 pts) |
DNP | T5 (70) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T26 (16) |
DNP | T30 (6.67) |
DNP |
Retief Goosen (80 pts) |
DNP | T21 (29) |
T46 (4) |
DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | DNP | T43 (4.67) |
DNP | T45 (3.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Jamie Donaldson (79 pts) |
T18 (48) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T35 (15) |
T26 (16) |
DNP | T54 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who’s Not Hot in the field for the Shell Houston Open
Player | WGC-Dell Match Play | Puerto Rico | Arnold Palmer | Indian Open | Valspar | Thailand Classic | WGC-Cadillac | Honda Classic | Handa Perth | Northern Trust | Malaysian Open | AT&T Pebble | Tshwane Open |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Peter Malnati (-43.33 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T66 (0) |
DNP |
Robert Allenby (-33.33 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Scott Stallings (-33.33 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Brendon De Jonge (-33.33 pts) |
DNP | T60 (0) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Morgan Hoffmann (-30 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | T61 (0) |
DNP | T68 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Andres Gonzales (-30 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Russell Henley (-30 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
James Hahn (-30 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Michael Kim (-26.67 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | T53 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Charlie Beljan (-25 pts) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | WD (-5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who to watch for at the Shell Houston Open
Best Bets:
Jordan Spieth
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T2 | CUT | T50 |
Played well enough to win last year, was blocked because of Holmes final round 64. He should do very well, don’t know if he will win but he wants to leave Houston with a pocketful of confidence like he did last year.
Phil Mickelson
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T17 | T12 | T16 | T4 | Win | T35 | CUT | T23 |
Think he is close to breaking out and winning again, could be this week. Hitting the ball well, this course favors his type of game.
Louis Oosthuizen
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | CUT | T10 | 3 | T16 | CUT |
He will be on anyone’s short list of guys that will do well this week and at the Masters.
Best of the rest:
Patrick Reed
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T17 | CUT |
Showed us at the match play that he could be on the verge of breaking out, watch him.
Henrik Stenson
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T54 | T2 | T21 | T3 |
Another ready or should we say overdue to win. Has shown that he can play the course well after finishing runner-up in 2013.
Dustin Johnson
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WD | T4 | CUT | CUT |
His game seems to get better on each start, I think he is close to getting his game together.
Rickie Fowler
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
71 | 6 | T63 | T65 |
Did finish 6th in Houston in 2014 so he can play the course well, again his game has been off and on again, just have to wonder will his mind be on Houston or Augusta.
Graham Delaet
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T42 | T19 | T31 | CUT | T3 |
He is getting better each week and could bust out at any time.
Solid contenders
Cameron Tringale
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T5 | 4 | T16 | T8 | T73 |
Forget what he has done on the PGA Tour of late, this kid loves this course and has only been over par once in the last 16 rounds played on the course.
Retief Goosen
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T7 | CUT | T60 |
Was T-7th last year and has shown some consistence this year.
Sergio Garcia
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T37 | 3 | T77 |
He will probably make a run but drop back, that seems to be what Garcia is doing these days.
Padraig Harrington
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T67 | CUT | T71 | T8 | T40 | T26 | T26 | T24 | T32 |
Purley a sentimental pick since he needs a win or miss his first Masters in 16 years.
Tony Finau
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T42 |
He busted out with a big win in Puerto Rico, could have some of the same firepower this week.
Long shots that could come through:
Scott Brown
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T37 | CUT |
Played well in Puerto Rico, has showed some signs that his game is getting better.
Scott Piercy
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 | T21 | T42 | 72 | T42 |
Played ok in the match play, his game is showing an uptick over the last couple of weeks.
Steve Marino
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T66 | T14 | T19 | T66 | T69 |
Came close last week, could have some of the magic left over for this week.
Who are the players in the two spots behind Delaet or just a typo?
Mark,
A flaw in the program, if I have a line return when I hit the button to render the piece it thinks that it’s suppose to have a player and doesn’t.
Have fixed, thanks
Where are the picks? I thought you gave us the Draft Kings picks?
We have been doing a tournament blog, but we are putting things together for a really big Masters blog that will come out probably on Friday. But if you want, here are some draftkings picks that my partner David Barrett sent me for this week:
A couple of factors pointed me to a high-salary/low-salary lineup this week. First, with many top players taking the week off to prepare for the Masters, I like the chances of the elite players who did show up. Second, very few players jump out at me as tempting picks in the $6,200 to $9,200 range, and there seem to be more players in the $5,000s worthy of consideration than usual. In fact, many of the players in the $5,000s seem like just as good picks as those in the mid-$6,000s.
Still, my picks are a bit of a crapshoot, because there are about 20 guys I considered in the $5,000s, and it’s a tough call which are the best ones. On the high end, I like Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson, and Dustin Johnson, and had to pick two of them plus a $9,000 range guy. I went with Spieth and Stenson as my “A team,” along with Brooks Koepka, but am entering another lineup with Fowler, Johnson, and J.B. Holmes. By the way, there are a few in the $7,000s who I liked well enough to put in a “C” team: Brendan Steele ($7,400), Gary Woodland ($7,300), and Scott Brown (though his $7,900 tag is no bargain). On the low-salary side, my other choices are Brian Harman ($6,100), Roberto Castro ($5,700), Greg Owen ($5,300), and Jim Herman ($5,300). Here’s my main team:
Jordan Spieth, $12,900. Finished second here last year, working hard to get his game in shape to defend at the Masters.
Henrik Stenson, $10,800. His excellent ball-striking serves him well at GC of Houston, where he has a T-2 and a T-3 in four appearances.
Brooks Koepka, $9,300. He’s been solid in 2016.
Padraig Harrington, $5,900. Not the player he once was, but he’s made seven of eight cuts this season.
Jason Gore, $5,700. Enjoying a bit of a career Renaissance that started last fall and has lasted long enough to appear real. Has made nine of 10 cuts this season.
Bronson Burgoon, $5,400. If I stayed with the best-at-cut-making-in-2016 theme, I could have gone with Colt Knost (11 of 12), Mark Hubbard (13 of 15), or Tyrone Van Aswegen (12 of 15). But they are not quite as established as Harrington or Gore and I’m afraid of regression to the mean. So, I’m going with a promising rookie who has made a respectable eight of 13 cuts with four top-25s.
One last thing, David did a good job with these picks but one guy he is missing, Cameron Tringale. A lot of others also say Keegan Bradley, but I don’t think he is in the right frame of mind now, but Tringale should be used.
Thank you Sal
Looks like Burgoon withdrew?
UGH, have updated the performance chart, Brian Gay also withdrew. Hard to find a $5,400 replacement, most off those on the list are dogs and not playing very well so have to find someone.
I’m going with Greg Owen as a replacement for Burgoon. Very similar 2016 record: 8 of 13 cuts made, one top-10, two top-25s.