FREE 03/27 PGA Cheat Sheet: Texas Children's Houston Open

The Texas Children’s Houston Open kicks off this week, bringing a challenging test at Memorial Park Golf Course, a lengthy par-70 layout stretching over 7,400 yards. With its demanding approach shots—nearly a third coming from 200+ yards—and tricky green surrounds, this course will reward strong ball strikers and those who can scramble effectively. The field is headlined by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 2 Rory McIlroy, but outside of them, the talent pool thins quickly with only two other top-20 players in attendance. At an average salary of $7,029 on DraftKings and no standout value plays, roster construction will require careful balancing between high-priced stars and mid-tier options.

Weather could also play a key role this week, with rain and wind expected early before clearing up for the weekend. This makes targeting players with solid tee-to-green games and bogey avoidance even more critical on a course that consistently ranks among the toughest on Tour. Ownership will likely concentrate heavily around Scheffler and McIlroy, leaving opportunities to differentiate with less popular picks in the $8K-$9K range or by taking calculated risks on lower-owned values under $7K. Let’s dive into our top plays for this slate.

Premium Plays ($10,000+)

Top Play: Scottie Scheffler ($12,700)

Scottie Scheffler comes into the Texas Children’s Houston Open as the most expensive player on the slate, and for good reason. His 90.3% make-cut rate and a projection of 88.1 DraftKings points highlight both his floor and ceiling in DFS lineups. While his recent finishes, including a T20 at THE PLAYERS and T11 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, may not match his dominant standards from last season, his ball-striking remains elite. The challenge for Scheffler has been converting opportunities on the greens, as he continues to rank near the bottom in putting metrics. That said, Memorial Park’s demanding layout rewards tee-to-green excellence, which could help mitigate some of his putting struggles and make him a strong candidate to contend.

At 27.4% projected ownership, Scheffler is one of the chalkiest plays this week, but it’s hard to argue against it given his consistent ability to rack up DK points even without winning. His Optimal Lineup percentage of 25.6% supports the idea that he’s worth paying up for in cash games where safety is key. In GPPs, though, you’ll need to weigh whether you want to eat the chalk or pivot elsewhere for leverage. Ultimately, Scheffler’s combination of elite cut equity and upside at a course that suits his strengths makes him a compelling option despite elevated ownership levels—just know you won’t be sneaking him into your lineup unnoticed.

Other Premium Options

• Rory McIlroy ($11,700, MakeCut: 81.9%, Own: 24.9%)

Mid-Range Plays ($8,000-$9,999)

Top Play: Michael Kim ($8,700)

Michael Kim ($8,700) offers an intriguing mix of consistency and upside for the Texas Children’s Houston Open. Despite missing the cut at THE PLAYERS Championship by a single shot, his recent stretch of five straight top-15 finishes—including a solo fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational—shows his game is in excellent shape. With a 71.7% make-cut rate and projected 68.9 DraftKings points, Kim provides a solid floor, while his accurate ball-striking and steady approach play should translate well to this course’s demands. His salary feels fair given his recent form, and his 10.6% optimal lineup rate suggests he has legitimate potential to outperform expectations.

The main concern here is Kim’s elevated ownership at 15.2%, which is significantly higher than the field average of 3.9%. While chalk can be risky in tournaments, it’s hard to argue against rostering him given how well he’s been playing and his strong cut equity. If you’re building lineups for cash games, Kim ranks as one of the safest plays on the slate (third overall in cash rank). For GPPs, consider balancing him with lower-owned options to differentiate your roster while still benefiting from his high floor and reasonable ceiling.

Other Mid-Range Options

• Jacob Bridgeman ($8,400, MakeCut: 70.0%, Own: 15.4%)
• Stephan Jaeger ($8,800, MakeCut: 66.5%, Own: 11.2%)
• Alex Smalley ($8,200, MakeCut: 66.9%, Own: 13.6%)

Value Plays ($7,000-$7,999)

First Value Play: Joe Highsmith ($7,800)

Joe Highsmith presents an intriguing DFS option at $7,800 for the Texas Children’s Houston Open. Fresh off a breakthrough win at the Cognizant Classic, where he gained strokes in every category and closed with a bogey-free 64, Highsmith’s confidence should be high. His recent form also includes a T17 at the Mexico Open, showing consistency in making cuts and contending on tougher setups. With a make-cut percentage of 64.7% and strong value metrics (8.28x), he offers both safety and upside for this price range. The course demands solid ball-striking and putting—two areas where Highsmith excelled during his recent victory, particularly with 6.5 strokes gained on the greens over the weekend.

However, his projected ownership of 13.2% makes him one of the chalkier mid-tier plays this week, so it’s worth considering whether you want to eat that chalk in tournaments. That said, his optimal lineup percentage (12.1%) suggests he has legitimate upside to justify his popularity, especially given his tournament rank of sixth overall. While there’s risk in fading him given his recent form and high cash-game viability (ranked first), leveraging lower-owned pivots around him might make sense if you’re aiming for differentiation in GPPs. Ultimately, Highsmith’s combination of momentum and value makes him a solid play across formats despite elevated ownership levels.

Second Value Play: Jake Knapp ($7,700)

Jake Knapp ($7,700) offers intriguing value this week at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, especially given his recent form and strong metrics. He’s ranked 8th in tournament projections and boasts a solid make-cut rate of 62.2%, which aligns with his consistent play of late. Knapp has finished in the top 25 in four consecutive events, including a T12 at THE PLAYERS where he led the field in SG: Putting and scrambling. His putting prowess could be a real asset on the tricky greens this week, though concerns about his accuracy off the tee—he hit just 50% of fairways at THE PLAYERS—are worth noting on a course that demands precision.

Knapp’s projected ownership of 10.5% is elevated relative to the field average, but it feels justified given his price point and consistency. At $7,700, he offers excellent value with a projection of 7.94x return and an optimal lineup percentage of 10.4%. While he’s unlikely to fly under the radar, his combination of recent form, short-game strength, and reasonable salary makes him an appealing option in both cash games and tournaments. Just be mindful that his popularity might limit differentiation in larger GPPs.

Other Value Options

• Max McGreevy ($7,400, MakeCut: 56.9%, Own: 6.0%)
• Harry Hall ($7,500, MakeCut: 60.8%, Own: 5.7%)
• Ben Griffin ($7,900, MakeCut: 61.2%, Own: 7.9%)

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