Field Level Media’s Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.
PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Valspar Championship (Peter Malnati)
THIS WEEK: Texas Children’s Houston Open, March 28-31
Course: Memorial Park Golf Course (Par 70, 7,435 yards)
Purse: $9.1M (Winner: $1.638M)
Defending Champion: Tony Finau (2022)
FedEx Cup Leader: Scottie Scheffler
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-3:30 p.m. (GC), 3:30-6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 8:15 a.m.-7 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @TCHouOpen
NOTES: The event returns to a spring date after being contested in the fall each of the past four seasons. It was not played in the 2023 calendar year. … This is the fourth playing at Memorial Park, which first hosted the tournament in 2020. … The top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking after this event will qualify for the Masters if not already exempt. The highest-ranked players in this week’s field who are not yet exempt are No. 57 Tom Hoge, No. 63 Mackenzie Hughes and No. 66 Alex Noren. … Padraig Harrington, who won on the Champions Tour last week, is in the field on a sponsor exemption.
BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+275 at BetMGM) is trying to become the first player to win three consecutive events on tour since Dustin Johnson in 2017. He has a T2 and a T9 in Houston the past two seasons. … Wyndham Clark (+1200) has finished runner-up to Scheffler in each of his past two events. … Will Zalatoris (+1800) makes his tournament debut while coming off consecutive top-5s in his past two starts. … Sahith Theegala (+2000) is a Spring, Texas resident and has consecutive top-10s entering the week. … Tony Finau (+2200) won by four shots in 2022 but has a lone top-10 in eight starts this season.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Valero Texas Open, San Antonio, April 4-7
LPGA Tour
LAST TOURNAMENT: Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship (Nelly Korda)
THIS WEEK: Ford Championship presented by KCC, Gilbert, Ariz., March 28-31
Course: Seville Golf and Country Club (Par 71, 6,734 yards)
Purse: $2.25 million (Winner: $337,500)
Defending Champion: Inaugural event
Race to the CME Globe leader: Korda
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV/Streaming: Thursday-Friday, 6-9 p.m. ET (Peacock), 7-9 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 6-9 p.m. (GC/Peacock).
X: @LPGA
NOTES: The 144-player field will be cut to the top 65 and ties after 36 holes. … All five winners in 2024 are in this week’s field. … This is the first professional tournament to be held at Seville, which was designed by Gary Panks and features an island green on the 17th hole.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards, Las Vegas, April 3-7
PGA Tour Champions
LAST TOURNAMENT: Hoag Classic (Padraig Harrington)
THIS WEEK: The Galleri Classic, Rancho Mirage, Calif., March 29-31
Course: Mission Hills Country Club (Par 72, 7,165 yards)
Purse: $2.2M (Winner: $330,00)
Defending Champion: David Toms
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steven Alker
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday: 12 p.m.-Midnight ET (Golf Channel — Tape Delay); Saturday, 3:30-6 p.m. (GC); Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m. (GC)
X: @GalleriClassic
NOTES: The 54-hole event features a 78-player field that includes six World Golf Hall of Fame members.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Invited Celebrity Classic, Irving, Texas, April 19-21
LIV Golf League
LAST TOURNAMENT: Hong Kong (Individual: Abraham Ancer; Team: Crushers GC)
THIS WEEK: OFF
2024 Leaders: Players, Joaquin Niemann; Team, Crushers GC
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Miami, April 5-7
–Field Level Media
