Horses for Courses: Cadence Bank Houston Open

After a couple of birdies or bust weeks on the PGA TOUR, Memorial Park gets set to turn up the toughness as we hit the penultimate event of the 2022 calendar year for the Cadence Bank Houston Open.

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Tom Doak redesigned this inner city classic in 2019 and it will serve as host for the third consecutive season. Designed as nine holes in 1912, legendary architect John Bredemus expanded the canvas to 18 holes in 1936.

Present day Memorial Park plays as a par-70 and tips at 7,412 yards, hardly a bandbox for a municipal course. There's nothing easy about this layout from the back tees and not many par-70s on TOUR play longer.

Fairways that encompass only 28 acres aren't the narrowest but rate as some of the most difficult to find.

Large MiniVerde Bermuda putting surfaces averaging 7,000 square feet will catch most approach shots and provide lag putting opportunities. Three putts aren't common as the massive greens aren't outrageous on the Stimpmeter.

The main defense is presented off the tee box, not on the greens, as just over two inches of nesty Bermuda sits off the fairways. Closely mown areas around the greens will bring decision making into play on recovery shots from the rough.

More succinctly put: Memorial Park is difficult.

In the first two editions there have been a total of just 28 bogey free rounds, 14 each edition. Only 18 players made less than 10 bogeys in 2020. Just 12 accomplished that feat last season.

The scoring average was 71.025 on debut and just slightly better, 70.799, last year. Both editions rank in the top 10 in most difficult on TOUR during the respective season.

The three par-5s as a group have annually rated some of the toughest on TOUR and there are just 17 bunkers and four holes with water penalty areas. That's it.

No previous winner from Memorial Park is in the field.

Early forecasts also suggest players will deal with gusty winds and a cold front as competition progresses.

For a full picture make sure to read Rob Bolton's Power Rankings, Adam Stanley's The First Look and Statistically Speaking.

Giddy up! Let's find Horses for Courses!

Horses for CoursesSublime Six

-Players listed only if they are in the field for 2022-

Scottie Scheffler (Win: +600; Top 10: -160; Top 20: -350)

Hard to believe at this point last year he had not won yet! Second round 62 last year set tournament course record. Led by one after 54 holes on 7-under. Final round 69 for T2, two shots back. T32 on debut included final round 65.

Hideki Matsuyama (Win: +2500; Top 10: +188; Top 20: -120)

Tied second at 11-under in 2020. One of just four to complete four rounds here 10-under or better over the two editions. Closed 66-63 on back of T5 Putting and T7 Fairways. Circled 21 birdies. Bogey-free final round 63 tied course record at the time.

Joel Dahmen (Win: +4000; Top 10: +350; Top 20: +170)

All four rounds at par or better for T5 on debut 2021. Led field in Fairways. Second in Proximity. Only squared four bogeys on the weekend. Closed with 65.

Sam Burns (Win: +1400; Top 10: +125; Top 20: -165)

Back for third time with T7-T7 to his name. Led after 54 holes in 2020. Sat third in GIR. Doubled final hole last year to drop out of top five. Probably feels he's owed one here!

Russell Henley (Win: +2200; Top 10: +170; Top 20: -125)

Ran rampant in Mexico last week for his first win since 2017 in... Houston! Memorial Park wasn't on the menu back then (Golf Club of Houston hosted) but he cashed T7 in his only visit last year. Opened with 65 to share lead. Sat sixth Proximity and 10th Putting.

Mackenzie Hughes (Win: +5000; Top 10: +350; Top 20: +175)

Closed with 63 on debut in 2020 to share the course record and cash T7. Return trip last year pegged another top 30 (T29) even though he was T62 Putting.

Odds sourced on Tuesday, November 8th at 2 p.m. ET.For live odds visit betmgm.

Pipped at the Post

Kevin Tway (Win: +30000; Top 10: +2000; Top 20: +900): T2 last year after MC on debut. Trailed by one after 36 and 54 before ending 8-under, two back. Second round 64 only bested by Scheffler's course record for the week. T5 Putting.

Kramer Hickok (Win: +20000; Top 10: +1200; Top 20: +550): Solo fourth last year. Was T2 Putting. All four rounds 70 or better with three in the red. Of his eight rounds (T58, 2020) five are in the red. Holed 410 feet of putts, third best on the week last year.

Sepp Straka (Win: +6600; Top 10: +550; Top 20: +260): One of three players to post all four rounds in the 60s in 2020 (T5). Circled 18 birdies and an eagle. T8 GIR. MC (70-72) last year.

Robert Streb (Win: +17500; Top 10: +1100; Top 20: +500): One rep, one T7 as he closed with bogey free 65. Only two bogeys on weekend. Led field in Putting with just 107 total and was third finding 40 of 52 Fairways.

Jason Day (Win: +2800; Top 10: +220; Top 20: +105): Played in final group in 2020 posting T7 after 71. Opened with 67 last year before fading to T54.

Adam Long (Win: +6600; Top 10: +450; Top 20: +220): Two trips, nothing better than T11 and nothing worse than T11! Of eight rounds, seven are 70 or better with five in the red. All four in 2020 were 70 or better. Top 10 Fairways and GIR both years. Only squared four bogeys and two doubles last year after just five bogeys in 2020.

Aaron Wise (Win: +1800; Top 10: +160; Top 20: -145): Making third appearance after T26-T11. Aggregate seven-under. Posted a 66 in each. Co-led the field GIR in 2020 and was eighth 2021.

Denny McCarthy (Win: +4000; Top 10: +300; Top 20: +140): Cashed T11 last year closing with 64. T38 in 2020 on even par. Sat fifth in Bogey Avoidance last year with five and was T9 Fairways.

Maverick McNealy (Win: +2500; Top 10: +188; Top 20: -120): Topped his T20 on debut with T19 last season. His 276 total from 2020 bested last year by two shots but he's six-under aggregate over eight rounds. Four rounds in the 60s.

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