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.

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

History

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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

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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

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

See also

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Notes

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

References

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