The PGA Tour wrapped up the Florida swing last weekend with the conclusion of the Valspar Championship, where Matthew Fitzpatrick drained a 13-foot putt on the 72nd hole to secure his third PGA Tour victory. Fitzpatrick is taking a well-deserved week off as the tour heads to Houston. It’s shaping up to be a big sports weekend there, with the Astros’ season opener and the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 of March Madness taking place nearby.

Memorial Park has long been a strong tune-up course for golfers preparing for the Masters, thanks to its undulating green run-offs and overseeded rye fairways. However, one key difference remains: the greens here are rye, unlike the bentgrass surfaces at Augusta. Measuring just over 7,400 yards, Memorial Park is one of the longest courses on tour and heavily favors players with distance off the tee. With that in mind, let’s dive into the picks.

10. Patrick Rodgers

Patrick Rodgers has opened the season with nine consecutive made cuts, highlighted by a solo third-place finish in Hawaii and a T11 at the Players Championship. Nearly every aspect of his game has improved this year, aside from his driving, which isn’t as critical at this course. Expect Rodgers to improve upon last year’s T53, and if things break his way, a trip to Augusta could be within reach.

9. Gary Woodland

Few players have endured more adversity in recent years than Gary Woodland. He nearly completed a storybook comeback, finishing just one stroke behind Min Woo Lee despite a brilliant final-round 62. While his upside is clear, inconsistency has defined his season so far, which keeps him lower on this list.

8. Kurt Kitayama

Kurt Kitayama finished T37 at last year’s Houston Open after a disappointing final round. Still, when he finds form, his ceiling is extremely high. Last season, he recorded two top-15 finishes and a win in a three-start stretch. Recent finishes of T2 at the Genesis and T18 at the Players suggest he’s trending upward again.

7. Keith Mitchell

Keith Mitchell has been steady this season, making eight straight cuts to start the year. He put together three solid rounds at Memorial Park last year before a final-round 71 dropped him to T18. If his putter heats up, Mitchell could easily contend this weekend.

6. Marco Penge

Coming off a T4 finish at the Valspar, and the birth of his first son, Marco Penge is now chasing his first PGA Tour win. While he has struggled at times this season, his length off the tee—averaging 317 yards—makes him a threat. Accuracy has been an issue, but Memorial Park’s forgiving layout, combined with his improving wedge play, makes him an intriguing sleeper pick.

New addition to the family! Romeo Penge 24/02/26 🤍 – I will be on the sidelines for two weeks so we will see you at Sawgrass for The Players Championship 👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/CUN0ZzS1qy

— Marco Penge (@PengeMarco) February 25, 2026

5. Jake Knapp

Jake Knapp’s season has been outstanding, with four top-10 finishes and a T11 in his first five starts. However, an illness forced him to miss the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he followed that with his first missed cut of the season. He also missed the cut here in 2024. Even so, Knapp has the talent to rebound, and a strong showing could earn him a spot at Augusta, as he currently sits just outside the top 50 in the OWGR.

4. Ryan Gerard

Ryan Gerard started the season on fire with back-to-back runner-up finishes. Since then, his form has cooled slightly, with a mix of mid-tier finishes and a missed cut. Still, he performed well at Memorial Park last year, finishing ninth, which bodes well for his chances this week.

3. Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka had a slow start to the season, including a missed cut in his first two events. However, he has rebounded with three straight top-20 finishes, including a top 10 at the Cognizant Classic. He currently ranks first in strokes gained on approach. If there’s a course where he can overcome his putting struggles, it’s Memorial Park—a layout he helped redesign.

2. Chris Gotterup

Chris Gotterup has enjoyed a near-perfect start to the year, already capturing two victories. He enters this week in excellent form and appears poised to add another. Memorial Park’s light rough should benefit him, as he has been striking the ball exceptionally well despite occasional issues with driving accuracy.

1. Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee recently secured his first PGA Tour victory and now has a strong chance to go back-to-back, especially with Scottie Scheffler sidelined awaiting the birth of his second child. Lee has made all six cuts this season, including two top-10 finishes in signature events, propelling him to eighth in the FedEx Cup standings. Memorial Park suits his game perfectly, and in a relatively weaker field, it’s easy to see why he tops this list.

Min Woo Lee admitted he thought he was good enough for the PGA Tour last year after his win at Memorial Park, but the signature events continued to beat him up.

It's why he slowed down his driver swing this year. The change, which is minuscule, helped him go from 105th to… pic.twitter.com/k1sQDBoe5L

— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) March 24, 2026