Tony Finau is, of course, biased. He’s your 2022 Houston Open winner.
But his praise for the tournament’s home course is still notable. It’s more than the ‘I’m happy to be here.’
Memorial Park, in fact, is without equal to Finau in warming him up for the tournament in two weeks.
“I don’t think that there’s a better prep golf course leading up to the Masters than Memorial Park,” Finau said. “It’s a big golf course. I think they try to set it up where it’s similar to Augusta National maybe to have guys play. I know that was the case many years ago when it was at other golf courses.
“But I don’t think that there’s a better course to prepare for something like Augusta National than here. I think you’re going to continue to get great players because of the golf course, and I think all the guys have to do is play once to see for themself that this is — I think it’s a world-class golf course and it just happens to be public, which is something that I resonate with as well, and I just think it’s a great venue and you’ll continue to get great players that come here because of that.”
The track has something else going for it, too. Considering its PGA Tour host course status, it may just have one of the country’s best deals.
It’s thoughtful, too.
As Finau alluded to, Memorial Park is a muni, meaning any Jane or Joe can play it (though it’s closed to the public until next Tuesday, as this year’s Houston Open is this week). The rates vary — residents can play it for $30 during the week and $38 on the weekend; it’s $120 and $140 for non-residents — and GOLF.com rates it No. 88 on its list of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the U.S.
But one fee stands out. For 10 bucks during the week, Houston juniors can play Memorial Park.
And that has at least one fan.
“Well, I think it’s a lot of fun,” Scottie Scheffler said. “I think when I was a kid if I could play a golf course that the pros were playing on it would be pretty special. So to come here, to a public course where anybody can come and play, it’s a lot of fun. It’s great to be here in Houston supporting this tournament, this event, and definitely glad to be here.”
The world’s top-ranked player and two-time Masters winner also agreed with Finau.
“Yeah, I think with it being rye grass in the fairways now,” Scheffler said, “I think definitely improves the prep for the Masters — it’s a similar grass to what we see at Augusta. It’s also a big golf course, you’ve got to hit it far out here, so there is definitely some similarities and good preparation between here and Augusta. Also like having the week off between here and Augusta.”
