The First Look: Vivint Houston Open

Reigning FedExCup champion Dustin Johnson headlines a Vivint Houston Open field that also features past FedExCup winners Henrik Stenson, Brandt Snedeker, and Texas native Jordan Spieth.

Lanto Griffin will defend his first TOUR title at Memorial Park Golf Course, which was totally redesigned (with input from Brooks Koepka) by famed architect Tom Doak for 2020. The public course in Houston – which sees approximately 60,000 rounds per year – will be part of the TOUR schedule for the first time since 1963.

FIELD NOTES: Johnson and Adam Scott are set to make their first starts on the TOUR since testing positive for COVID-19… Brooks Koepka will return to the golf course he had a hand in shaping… Mickelson is 2-for-2 with PGA TOUR Champions victories this season but decided to tee it up in Houston instead of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Mickelson won the Houston Open in 2011. The last Houston Open at Memorial Park also was the first PGA TOUR win by a left-hander. Bob Charles won at Memorial Park in 1963, the same year he won The Open Championship to become the first left-hander to win a major… Two of the last three Houston Open winners - Lanto Griffin (2019) and Russell Henley (2017) - are part of the past champions contingent… Four of the top 10 on the current FedExCup standings (Stewart Cink, Garcia, Martin Laird, and Hudson Swafford) are in the field… Justin Harding, Kyle Hogan, Dawie van der Walt, and Jhonattan Vegas are amongst the sponsors exemptions.

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points.

COURSE: Memorial Park Golf Course, par 70, 7,432 yards. The TOUR makes its return to Memorial Park for the first time since 1963. Founded in 1912, Tom Doak, who redesigned the course with the help of Koepka, took flood-prone land and added elevation and improved drainage. The TOUR’s best will see a totally different Memorial Park Golf Course for 2020 with holes that have been both lengthened and shortened, fairways widened, and trees removed. “Other than winning a golf tournament, it’s one of the coolest projects that I’ve been involved in,” Koepka told FOX 26 Houston last year.

STORYLINES: The Vivint Houston Open will be the first TOUR event in the U.S. since THE PLAYERS Championship to have spectators on site… The event, for 2020-21, was moved from October to November to accommodate the changes to the schedule due to COVID-19… The tournament returns to Memorial Park Golf Course for the first time since 1963… Griffin proved how valuable a solid fall could be, as he rode his victory in Houston all the way to The TOUR Championship last season.

72-HOLE RECORD: 266, Curtis Strange and Lee Trevino (1980 at Woodlands CC), Vijay Singh (2002 at TPC Woodlands). Golf Club of Houston record: 268, Phil Mickelson (2011), Russell Henley (2017). Memorial Park Golf Course record: 268, Bob Charles (1963).

18-HOLE RECORD: 62, Ron Streck (3rd round, 1981 at Woodlands CC), Fred Funk (3rd round, 1992 at TPC Woodlands). Golf Club of Houston record: 63, Johnson Wagner (1st round, 2008), Adam Scott (1st round, 2008), Jimmy Walker (1st round, 2011), Phil Mickelson (3rd round, 2011), Scott Piercy (1st round, 2015), Sung Kang (2nd round, 2017).

LAST TIME: Griffin held off Scott Harrington and Mark Hubbard, a trio of Korn Ferry Tour graduates from the season prior, for his first PGA TOUR victory. Griffin calmly rolled in a 6-foot par on the 72nd hole to secure the win. He had moved to the top of the leaderboard only two holes earlier after draining a 35-foot birdie on No. 16. Griffin, a two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner, held of Harrington, who shot a 5-under 67 Sunday, and Hubbard, who shot a 3-under 69. All three were looking for their first TOUR victories. Harris English, Xinjun Zhang, Talor Gooch, Carlos Ortiz, and Sepp Straka all finished T4.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Television: Thursday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7:50 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Featured Groups)

Radio: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio).