Houston Open

Texas Children's Houston Open
Tournament information
LocationHouston, Texas
Established1946[1]
Course(s)Memorial Park Municipal Golf Course
Par70
Length7,432 yards (6,796 m)
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$9,100,000
Month playedMarch
Tournament record score
Aggregate264 Tony Finau (2022)
To par−22 Vijay Singh (2002)
Current champion
Germany Stephan Jäger
Location map
Memorial Park Municipal GC is located in the United States
Memorial Park Municipal GC
Memorial Park Municipal GC
Location in the United States
Memorial Park Municipal GC is located in Texas
Memorial Park Municipal GC
Memorial Park Municipal GC
Location in Texas

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.

History

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

Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Purse
(US$)
Winner's
share ($)
Texas Children's Houston Open
2024 Germany Stephan Jäger 268 −12 1 stroke Belgium Thomas Detry
United States Tony Finau
United States Taylor Moore
United States Scottie Scheffler
Argentina Alejandro Tosti
9,100,000 1,638,000
2023: No tournament
Cadence Bank Houston Open
2022 United States Tony Finau 264 −16 4 strokes United States Tyson Alexander 8,400,000 1,512,000
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open
2021 United States Jason Kokrak 270 −10 2 strokes United States Scottie Scheffler
United States Kevin Tway
7,500,000 1,350,000
Vivint Houston Open
2020 Mexico Carlos Ortiz 267 −13 2 strokes United States Dustin Johnson
Japan Hideki Matsuyama
7,000,000 1,260,000
Houston Open
2019 United States Lanto Griffin 274 −14 1 stroke United States Scott Harrington
United States Mark Hubbard
7,500,000 1,350,000
2018 England Ian Poulter 269 −19 Playoff United States Beau Hossler 7,000,000 1,260,000
Shell Houston Open
2017 United States Russell Henley 268 −20 3 strokes South Korea Kang Sung-hoon 7,000,000 1,260,000
2016 United States Jim Herman 273 −15 1 stroke Sweden Henrik Stenson 6,800,000 1,224,000
2015 United States J. B. Holmes 272 −16 Playoff United States Jordan Spieth
United States Johnson Wagner
6,600,000 1,188,000
2014 Australia Matt Jones 273 −15 Playoff United States Matt Kuchar 6,400,000 1,152,000
2013 United States D. A. Points 272 −16 1 stroke United States Billy Horschel
Sweden Henrik Stenson
6,200,000 1,116,000
2012 United States Hunter Mahan 272 −16 1 stroke Sweden Carl Pettersson 6,000,000 1,080,000
2011 United States Phil Mickelson 268 −20 3 strokes United States Chris Kirk
United States Scott Verplank
5,900,000 1,062,000
2010 United States Anthony Kim 276 −12 Playoff United States Vaughn Taylor 5,800,000 1,044,000
2009 England Paul Casey 277 −11 Playoff United States J. B. Holmes 5,700,000 1,026,000
2008 United States Johnson Wagner 272 −16 2 strokes United States Chad Campbell
Australia Geoff Ogilvy
5,600,000 1,008,000
2007 Australia Adam Scott 271 −17 3 strokes Australia Stuart Appleby
United States Bubba Watson
5,500,000 990,000
2006 Australia Stuart Appleby (2) 269 −19 6 strokes United States Bob Estes 5,500,000 990,000
2005 Fiji Vijay Singh (3) 275 −13 Playoff United States John Daly 5,000,000 900,000
2004 Fiji Vijay Singh (2) 277 −11 2 strokes United States Scott Hoch 5,000,000 900,000
2003 United States Fred Couples 267 −21 4 strokes Australia Stuart Appleby
United States Mark Calcavecchia
United States Hank Kuehne
4,500,000 810,000
2002 Fiji Vijay Singh 266 −22 6 strokes Northern Ireland Darren Clarke 4,000,000 720,000
2001 United States Hal Sutton 278 −10 3 strokes United States Joe Durant
United States Lee Janzen
3,400,000 612,000
2000 Australia Robert Allenby 275 −13 Playoff United States Craig Stadler 2,800,000 504,000
1999 Australia Stuart Appleby 279 −9 1 stroke United States John Cook
United States Hal Sutton
2,500,000 450,000
1998 United States David Duval 276 −12 1 stroke United States Jeff Maggert 2,000,000 360,000
1997 United States Phil Blackmar 276 −12 Playoff United States Kevin Sutherland 1,600,000 288,000
1996 United States Mark Brooks 274 −14 Playoff United States Jeff Maggert 1,500,000 270,000
1995 United States Payne Stewart 276 −12 Playoff United States Scott Hoch 1,400,000 252,000
1994 United States Mike Heinen 272 −16 3 strokes United States Tom Kite
United States Jeff Maggert
United States Hal Sutton
1,300,000 234,000
1993 United States Jim McGovern 199[a] −17 Playoff United States John Huston 1,300,000 234,000
1992 United States Fred Funk 272 −16 2 strokes United States Kirk Triplett 1,200,000 216,000
Independent Insurance Agent Open
1991 South Africa Fulton Allem 273 −15 1 stroke United States Billy Ray Brown
United States Mike Hulbert
United States Tom Kite
800,000 144,000
1990 United States Tony Sills 204[a] −12 Playoff United States Gil Morgan 1,000,000 180,000
1989 United States Mike Sullivan 280 −8 1 stroke United States Craig Stadler 800,000 144,000
1988 United States Curtis Strange (3) 270 −18 Playoff Australia Greg Norman 700,000 126,000
Big "I" Houston Open
1987 United States Jay Haas 276 −12 Playoff United States Buddy Gardner 600,000 108,000
Houston Open
1986 United States Curtis Strange (2) 274 −14 Playoff United States Calvin Peete 500,000 90,000
1985 United States Raymond Floyd 277 −11 1 stroke South Africa David Frost
United States Bob Lohr
500,000 90,000
Houston Coca-Cola Open
1984 United States Corey Pavin 274 −10 1 stroke United States Buddy Gardner 500,000 90,000
1983 Australia David Graham 275 −9 5 strokes United States Lee Elder
United States Jim Thorpe
United States Lee Trevino
400,000 72,000
Michelob-Houston Open
1982 United States Ed Sneed 275 −9 Playoff Australia Bob Shearer 350,000 63,000
1981 United States Ron Streck 198[a] −15 3 strokes United States Hale Irwin
United States Jerry Pate
262,500 47,250
1980 United States Curtis Strange 266 −18 Playoff United States Lee Trevino 350,000 63,000
Houston Open
1979 United States Wayne Levi 268 −16 2 strokes United States Mike Brannan 300,000 54,000
1978 South Africa Gary Player 270 −18 1 stroke United States Andy Bean 200,000 40,000
1977 United States Gene Littler 276 −12 3 strokes United States Lanny Wadkins 200,000 40,000
1976 United States Lee Elder 278 −10 1 stroke United States Forrest Fezler 200,000 40,000
1975 Australia Bruce Crampton (2) 273 −15 2 strokes United States Gil Morgan 150,000 30,000
1974 United States Dave Hill 276 −12 1 stroke United States Rod Curl
United States Steve Melnyk
United States Andy North
150,000 30,000
1973 Australia Bruce Crampton 277 −11 1 stroke United States Dave Stockton 205,000 41,000
1972 Australia Bruce Devlin 278 −10 2 strokes United States Tommy Aaron
United States Lou Graham
United States Doug Sanders
125,000 25,000
Houston Champions International
1971 United States Hubert Green 280 −4 Playoff United States Don January 125,000 25,000
1970 United States Gibby Gilbert 282 −2 Playoff Australia Bruce Crampton 115,000 23,000
1969: No tournament - club hosted the 1969 U.S. Open
1968 Argentina Roberto De Vicenzo 274 −10 1 stroke United States Lee Trevino 100,000 20,000
1967 United States Frank Beard 274 −10 1 stroke United States Arnold Palmer 115,000 23,000
1966 United States Arnold Palmer (2) 275 −9 1 stroke United States Gardner Dickinson 110,000 21,000
Houston Classic
1965 United States Bobby Nichols (2) 273 −11 1 stroke Australia Bruce Devlin
United States Chi-Chi Rodríguez
75,000 12,000
1964 United States Mike Souchak (2) 278 −6 1 stroke United States Jack Nicklaus 50,000 7,500
1963 New Zealand Bob Charles 268 −12 1 stroke United States Fred Hawkins 50,000 10,000
1962 United States Bobby Nichols 278 −2 Playoff United States Jack Nicklaus
United States Dan Sikes
50,000 9,000
1961 United States Jay Hebert 276 −4 Playoff United States Ken Venturi 40,000 7,000
1960 United States Bill Collins 280 −8 Playoff United States Arnold Palmer 35,000 5,300
1959 United States Jack Burke Jr. (2) 277 −11 Playoff United States Julius Boros 30,000 4,300
Houston Open
1958 United States Ed Oliver 281 −7 1 stroke Argentina Roberto De Vicenzo
United States Jay Hebert
30,000 4,300
1957 United States Arnold Palmer 279 −9 1 stroke United States Doug Ford 36,000 7,500
1956 United States Ted Kroll 277 −11 3 strokes United States Jack Burke Jr.
United States Dave Douglas
30,000 6,000
1955 United States Mike Souchak 273 −15 2 strokes United States Jerry Barber 30,000 6,000
1954 United States Dave Douglas 277 −11 2 strokes United States Cary Middlecoff 30,000 6,000
1953 United States Cary Middlecoff (2) 283 −5 Playoff Australia Jim Ferrier
United States Shelley Mayfield
United States Bill Nary
United States Earl Stewart
20,000 4,000
1952 United States Jack Burke Jr. 277 −11 6 strokes United States Frank Stranahan 10,000 2,000
1951 United States Marty Furgol 277 −11 1 stroke United States Jack Burke Jr. 10,000 2,000
1950 United States Cary Middlecoff 277 −11 3 strokes United States Pete Cooper 10,000 2,000
1949 United States Johnny Palmer 272 −16 1 stroke United States Cary Middlecoff 10,000 2,000
1948: No tournament
1947 South Africa Bobby Locke 277 −11 5 strokes United States Johnny Palmer
United States Ellsworth Vines
10,000 2,000
1946 United States Byron Nelson 274 −10 2 strokes United States Ben Hogan 10,000 2,000

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[15][16][17]

Multiple winners

Nine men have won this tournament more than once through 2024.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

References

  1. ^ "Champions Archive". Archived from the original on April 1, 2012.
  2. ^ Ferguson, Doug (June 12, 2018). "Houston Open moves to fall in 2019; no word about Twin Cities event". Star Tribune. Associated Press.
  3. ^ "Dave Hill, Melnyk in Houston lead at 137". Chicago Tribune. wire services. May 12, 1974. p. 4, sec. 3.
  4. ^ "Around sports: Redstone Golf Club undergoes name change". Houston Chronicle. staff and wire reports. December 6, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  5. ^ Bailey, Mike (December 9, 2013). "Houston PGA Tour host Redstone Golf Club receives name change by new ownership". Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  6. ^ "2015–16 PGA Tour Player Handbook & Tournament Regulations" (PDF). October 5, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2016.
  7. ^ "Shell to end longtime sponsorship with Houston Open". Associated Press. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "Houston Astros owner Jim Crane signs 5-year deal to save Houston Open: Report". thegolfnewsnet.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "Jim Crane saves the Houston Open". The Stiff Shaft. June 12, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  11. ^ "Astros Golf Foundation unveils 2019 Houston Open dates". KTRK-TV. January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  12. ^ "Astros Golf Foundation and PGA Tour partner with Hewlett Packard Enterprise to sponsor the Houston Open in 2021". PGA Tour. November 1, 2021.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ Dean, Richard (May 31, 2023). "Texas Children's is new title sponsor of Houston Open golf". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  15. ^ "Houston Open - Past Winners & Runners-up". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  16. ^ Shell Houston Open - Winners- at golfobserver.com Archived May 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ 2010 Shell Houston Open Media Guide Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

29°55′26″N 95°15′40″W / 29.924°N 95.261°W / 29.924; -95.261