Expert Picks: Texas Children's Houston Open

With a new season comes a new evolution for PGA TOUR Expert Picks. Fans of PGA TOUR betting can now see tips and picks for specific markets that the Golfbet team will be riding with each week. The traditional format for lineups and rosters will remain with Experts looking to come out on top in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf.

How it works: Each week, our experts from PGATOUR.COM will make their selections in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf. Each lineup consists of four starters and two bench players that can be rotated after each round. Adding to the challenge is that every golfer can be used only three times per each of four Segments.

Aside from the experts below, Golfbet Insider Rob Bolton breaks down the field at the Texas Children's Houston Open in this week's edition of Power Rankings.

Betting picks

WILL GRAY (Lead, Fantasy & Betting)

• Winner: Mackenzie Hughes (+5000) – The Canadian nearly got it done last week in Tampa and now returns to a course where he has finished inside the top 20 in two of three prior trips. Players from north of the border seem to have an extra pep in their step early in ’24 with the prospect of a home Presidents Cup looming.
• Top 10: Will Zalatoris (+200) – I’m in a big hole and need to start digging out, brick by brick. So I’m not going out on a huge limb here with Zalatoris, who should rebound from an unexpected missed cut at TPC Sawgrass.
• Longshot: Jake Knapp (+5000) – If Tony Finau can win both here and in Mexico, we might as well look to Knapp. The long hitter should have plenty of room off the tee
• H2H: Billy Horschel (-105) over Beau Hossler – I’ll go back to the well, fading Hossler for the second straight week, as he continues to work through some ball-striking issues. His runner-up in this event came at GC of Houston, but he has missed the cut in two prior trips to Memorial Park.

BEN EVERILL (Senior writer, Fantasy & Betting)

• Winner: Sahith Theegala (+2000) – With the change to spring, Memorial Park will likely play faster and with the rough down Theegala can get after it with his driver without much concern. He’s 12th in scoring average and add his current putting form to the mix and I like the in-form young star's chances.
• Top 10: Andrew Novak (+600) – This guy has four top-17s from his last five starts and is seriously finding his feet at the top level. Is 14th on TOUR in SG: Tee-to-Green, 11th on Approach and 11th in SG: Total.
• Longshot: Mackenzie Hughes (+5000) – Almost slotted the Canadian in my outright slot. He did everything but win at the Valspar Championship and when you add that T3 with three top-30s at Memorial Park and I’m feeling it. Don’t underestimate the International Presidents Cup Team carrot.
• H2H: Aaron Rai (-125) over Patrick Rodgers – With a T19 and T7 in his previous starts at Memorial Park, I’m banking on Rai to rebound from a MC last week and get the job done over Rodgers, who is coming off back-to-back MCs.

MATT DELVECCHIO (Social content manager, Fantasy & Betting)

• Winner: Sahith Theegala (+2000) – He's red hot in March with back-to-back T10s at Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass. The key for him will be his putting which he currently sits seventh in SG: Putting on TOUR. If he keeps that up and hits a lot of greens in regulation, then we should see Theegala in the mix on Sunday.
• Top 10: Billy Horschel (+400) – There’s so much to like and dislike with Horschel's game this season. He’s MC’d in three of seven starts, but has finished T20 in three, including a T12 last week and T9 two weeks ago at PGA National. I’ll trust he found something last week and brings that to Houston.
• Longshot: Billy Horschel (+5000) – I can see a big first round — even a first round leader option — then he needs to build from that to be in the mix on Sunday. Avoid rounds in the 70s and keep the pedal down. If he doesn’t lose strokes off the tee, I trust his approach game/putting to make a serious run at this championship.
• H2H: Stephan Jaeger (-110) over Mackenzie Hughes – I think Jaeger’s current form fits this course well, plus he’s got a good history here with a T9 finish last year. Fading Hughes who had a long emotional week last week and expecting some regression.

Odds were sourced on Tuesday, March 26. For live odds, visit BetMGM.

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RESULTS

*Brett Jungles joined the Expert Picks league at the beginning of Segment 1 and did not accumulate any points from the FedExCup Fall.

Golfbet experts longshot: 0-12

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