2024 LIV Golf League
LIV Golf Houston
The Golf Membership of Houston
7 – 9 June
The LIV Tour returns from its midseason hiatus for the inaugural staging of the LIV Golf Houston occasion. I used to be really barely shocked to study that this would be the first LIV occasion staged within the Lone Star State.
The final time that many of those guys had been in motion was at Valhalla, with Bryson DeChambeau flying the LIV flag excessive with an agonisingly shut runner-up end to Schauffele (who has just lately admitted that he did have talks with LIV at an earlier stage).
Most of the main execs can be utilizing this as the ultimate tune-up for subsequent week’s US Open held at Pinehurst No.2. Solely ten LIV practitioners can be teeing it up subsequent week, with David Puig and Dean Burmester incomes their place within the line-up by US Open qualifying.
LIV particular person chief Joaquin Niemann sadly missed out, inflicting many spectators to marvel why the Chilean has confirmed to be such a dominant pressure in LIV Golf this season.
I do assume that some folks jumped the gun in proclaiming him among the many world’s finest.
The Golf Membership of Houston
The Golf Membership of Houston was designed by Rees Jones and David Toms and opened for enterprise in 2005. The monitor appears to be like like a behemoth at both a bit above or beneath 7,500 yards (relying on which supply you utilize).
However that doesn’t imply that driving distance is of paramount significance right here. Ian Poulter received on this course again in 2018 (which tells you that premium iron play is vital right here).
The fairways are affected by bunkers and hazards and gamers might want to keep away from these in the event that they need to reap the benefits of fairly scorable situations. The Mini Verde Bermudagrass greens are going to play ultra-quick as a result of summer season sunshine.
Search for gamers who’ve wonderful distance management with their irons who could make loads of putts. This course doesn’t actually come near competing with Muirfield – this week’s US PGA Tour host course – by way of making ready your sport for the rigours of Pinehurst No.2
The Contenders
Bryson DeChambeau has regarded relentless within the majors however his type has plateaued in latest LIV occasions. Being the perfectionist that he’s, I’m certain that the cocky American will need to set issues straight this week.
Brooks Koepka received when the tour was in Singapore final day trip and he may have each eyes firmly fastened on Pinehurst subsequent week. Joaquin Niemann will search for an announcement win this week that would necessitate a late US Open invite (who is aware of).
Elsewhere, the South African pair of Dean Burmester and Louis Oosthuizen have been in wonderful type and can be on the lookout for one other sturdy displaying in Texas.
DJ has gone off the boil considerably since successful in Vegas and he can be hoping to seek out his groove forward of Pinehurst No.2
Previous Winners
Inaugural version
To Win Outright:
Bryson DeChambeau 8/1 | Jon Rahm 8/1 | Joaquin Niemann 10/1 | Brooks Koepka 11/1, Cameron Smith 12/1
Worth Wager
Thomas Pieters – To Win 40/1 | To position 17/2
Thomas Pieters appears to be returning to the shape that when had him marked as a future Main contender. He took the world by storm together with his heroics in a dropping Ryder Cup trigger at Hazeltine again in 2016.
However damage and lack of type have seen him drift into {the golfing} doldrums. However his final three LIV appearances have registered outcomes of 9-14-5. He additionally completed second final day trip on the Soudal Open, benefiting from a nationwide spot to compete within the DP World Tour occasion.
His sport appears to be trending properly and I may additionally see him benefiting from a number of the longer holes.
The Man to Beat – Bryson DeChambeau – To Win 8/1 | To position 7/4
I hate backing market favourites however this one simply makes all of the sense on this planet. The burly 30-year-old American appears to be again to his better of late, competing at Augusta earlier than narrowly lacking out by a shot at Valhalla.
He went to school in Dallas and he nonetheless lives there. Texas could be very a lot his adopted dwelling state and I believe he’ll enjoy these situations. This setup has some similarities with LIV Greenbrier, the place he completely romped dwelling to victory final yr with a closing 58.
There are 4 gettable par 5s on the market and a 335-yard par 4 (the twelfth). He needs to be having loads of appears to be like at eagle on the market as he builds in the direction of subsequent week’s extra daunting take a look at at Pinehurst No.2.
