March 25, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET
The 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open begins Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course.Golfweek experts have made their picks for the outright winner of the tournament.Brooks Koepka was selected by two different experts to win the event.Other top picks include Kurt Kitayama, Chris Gotterup, and past winner Tony Finau.
The 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open tees off on Thursday, Mar. 26, from Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas. Golfweek has locked in our best picks to win this weekend. Here’s who we expect to sit atop the leaderboard when play ends on Sunday.
Follow along with all the action this week with Golfweek and USA TODAY Sports for a live leaderboard, golfer rankings and money list.
Texas Children’s Houston Open Outright WinnerTim Schmitt: Kurt Kitayama (+2600)
He missed the cut at the Players, but Kitayama had been playing some solid golf before Sawgrass, including a T-2 at the Genesis, and a top-20 finish at the Arnold Palmer. He’s clearly comfortable at Memorial Park, too, as five of his eight rounds there have finished in the 60s.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Cameron Jourdan: Chris Gotterup (+1600)
The two-time winner in 2026 is one of the best players off the tee this season. Memorial Park is a course that doesn’t penalize players who hit it offline, allowing scoring chances from the rough. Gotterup is going to get his third win before the Masters.
David Dusek: Sam Burns (+2500)
Burns missed the cut at Riviera and Bay Hill, but bounced back with a T-13 at The Players after shooting 69-69 over the weekend. The former LSU star has struggled around the greens and from the fairway, but he remains among the Tour’s elite in putting, and after a solid performance at TPC Sawgrass, this is going to be the start of his run up to the major season.
Todd Kelly: Brooks Koepka (+2200)
Brooks Koepka started his return to the PGA Tour with a tie for 56th at the Farmers. He then missed the cut at the WM Phoenix Open but he had a strong stretch at three of the Florida Swing events: Cognizant Classic (T-9), Players Championship (T-13) and Valspar Championship (T-18). This week, he’ll break through for his 10th PGA Tour win and then take a week off to prep for the Masters.
Nick Stavas: Tony Finau (+5000)
Tony Finau won this event by four shots in 2022-23 and was T-2 the following season. After a slow start to 2026, he’s finished in the top 20 in two of his last four starts. It’s a bit of a long shot, but Memorial Park seems to bring out the best in Finau.
Adam Schupak: Brooks Koepka (+2200)
Koepka’s game is trending and perhaps you’ve heard that he was the player consultant to Tom Doak on Memorial Park’s renovation, the site of this week’s tourney in Houston. More than anything, Koepka wants to play in Sig events, not the Houston Opens of the world, and a win would take care of everything. One more name for you that I like this week: Michael Thorbjornsen.
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