What to expect at LIV Golf Houston

Mike McAllister, LIV Golf

6 minutes ago

(LIV GOLF) – LIV Golf begins the second half of its 2024 championship schedule by making its first-ever appearance in Texas

Texas becomes the 11th different state to host an LIV golf tournament and will also host the season-ending team championship at LIV Golf Dallas September 20-22.

Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, captain of Smash GC, makes his first LIV Golf start since winning the previous event in Singapore, where he became the first player to win four LIV Golf individual titles.

The all-Australian Ripper GC, led by Cameron Smith, will attempt to win their third consecutive team title after celebrating trophies in Adelaide and Singapore.

Bryson DeChambeau, whose Crushers GC leads the team points race all season, makes his first start since finishing solo second at the PGA Championship

Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm is the only player to finish in the top 10 in each of the first seven tournaments this season.

Koepka, Smith, DeChambeau and Rahm are among 10 LIV Golf players currently exempt from the upcoming US Open at Pinehurst

Cleeks GC’s Richard Bland returns to action after winning the Senior PGA Championship in his senior major debut last Sunday

Houston-area resident Patrick Reed, who has three top-20 finishes this season, seeks his first career victory at LIV Golf

Legion XIII’s Kieran Vincent won for the second time in his career at last week’s Sunshine Tour event in South Africa.

SUCCESS IN HOUSTON

The Golf Club of Houston, home of LIV Golf Houston, hosted the Houston Open between 2003 and 2019, with five current LIV Golf players winning titles on the course:

• Paul Casey (Crushers GC), 2009 via playoffs
• Antoine Kim (Wild Card), 2010 via playoffs
• Phil Mickelson (HyFlyers GC), 2011 by 3 stroke
• Matt Jones (Ripper GC), 2014 via playoffs
• Ian Poulter (Majesticks GC), 2018 via playoffs

Kim’s 2010 victory was the last of his four professional victories before retiring two years later due to injuries. Poulter’s 2018 victory is the most recent of his 17 professional wins, while Jones’s 2014 victory was the first of his four professional victories.

LIV Golf Players Carlos Ortiz (2020) and Jason Kokrak (2021) also had success in Houston, winning the Houston Open after moving to Memorial Park.

ABOUT THE COURSE

HOUSTON GOLF CLUB
Humble, Texas

By: 72
Yardage: 7,403

• Designed by renowned architect Rees Jones and major champion David Toms, the Houston Golf Club Tournament Course opened in 2005 and was created to host elite professional golf tournaments.
• Course becomes first in Texas to host LIV golf tournament
• Golf Digest ranks the course among the top 50 in Texas and one of the best public courses in the state.
• The Golf Club of Houston hosted the Houston Open through 2019, featuring LIV Golf players Paul Casey (Crushers GC), Anthony Kim (Wild Card), Phil Mickelson (HyFlyers GC), Matt Jones (Ripper GC) and Ian Poulter (Majesticks GC) winning titles
• The course features multi-level greens, strategic bunkers and several water hazards
• The 315-yard par 4 12th should be playable every day
• The 485 yard par 4 18th is guarded by a lake on the left side of the fairway and bordering the entire left side of the green.
• The course uses Mini Verde turf on the greens and Tif Sport on all other areas. Projected green speed is 12 on the stimpmeter

EVENT IN REED’S HOMETOWN

Patrick Reed, born in Texas and living in The Woodlands near Houston, returns home for LIV Golf’s first tournament in the state. “The crowds are going to be absolutely crazy,” said the 4Aces GC star. “I’ve talked to so many people here…and they’re all excited and excited.”

Reed made four starts at The Golf Club of Houston when it hosted the Houston Open as part of the build-up to the Masters. He looks forward to playing on the tournament course when he’s not prepared for Augusta National-type conditions. “I’m really looking forward to seeing this golf course, how it’s supposed to be played,” Reed said. “We can really show off the beauty of this golf course.”