Golf best bets: 3 props for the Texas Children's Houston Open

We had another successful week of props at the Valspar Championship, cashing Cameron Young to finish top 20 (+150) and Andrew Novak to finish top 30 (+220). The PGA Tour leaves Florida for a two-week stop in Texas, starting with the Texas Children's Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course.

Memorial Park is a long, difficult track with tricky green complexes, so we're looking to target players who can move it off the tee and save pars from tight lies around the green.

Stephan Jaeger top-20 finish (+200 BetMGM)

Stephan Jaeger loves Memorial Park. He finished T35 in 2022 and T9 last year at the Houston Open, gaining strokes with his putter in both starts. That's a great sign considering the German's biggest weakness to start the 2024 season has been his putter. Over his last five starts in Texas, Jaeger has gained strokes on the greens four times. 

Jaeger ranks sixth on the PGA Tour in total driving, ninth in driving distance and 13th in approaches from 175-200 yards. He's also gained strokes around the green in three of his last four starts. Jaeger's strong course history and statistical profile make him a strong target for a top-20 bet.

Carl Yuan top-10 finish (+900 FanDuel)

Carl Yuan's biggest strengths this season are his driving and chipping. The 27-year-old ranks fourth on the PGA Tour in total driving, fifth in driving distance and 18th in strokes gained around the green. 

The biggest issue for Yuan has been on the greens, as he ranks 168th on Tour in strokes gained from putting. There's reason to be optimistic about his flatstick this week, though. Yuan gained strokes on the green last week for the first time in seven starts, and he gained strokes from putting in all three of his starts in Texas last year. 

Yuan is a boom-or-bust performer on the PGA Tour. He has four top-10 finishes in his last 13 starts, but he also has five missed cuts over that span. We're hoping for a boom week in Houston. 

Tournament matchup: Will Zalatoris > Wyndham Clark (+140 DraftKings)

Wyndham Clark is on a heater with back-to-back runner-up finishes, but this plus-money matchup is worth a stab for a few reasons. 

For one, this is a perfect golf course for Will Zalatoris. The Texas native thrives on long, firm golf courses because he hits his driver so well and can flag long irons better than almost anyone on the PGA Tour. The Houston Open won't be a birdie fest. The harder the course, the better for Zalatoris. He's also recorded two top-five finishes in his last three starts.

Another reason for this play is that Clark suffered a back injury earlier this week and told reporters he was "in pretty bad shape" on Tuesday. The reigning U.S. Open champion couldn't make a full swing until Wednesday, and with The Masters just two weeks away, he won't risk re-aggravating the injury at a non-major.