Tiger Woods Skips Out on Houston Again, But Memorial Park is Still Where Golf’s Major Stars Will Be

Tiger Woods seriously flirted with the idea of playing a golf tournament in Houston for the first time since 2003. Which would been both sweet and bittersweet. Woods taking swings on the reimagined Memorial Park in its first year as the tourney course would have created indelible images. Yet, having Woods finally play Houston in a COVID year when galleries will be limited to 2,500 people a day would have also left many disappointed at not being able to watch him in person.

Of course, none of that is an issue anymore. Woods is skipping Houston’s PGA Tour stop — again. After publicly considering playing Memorial Park, he decided to take his customary week off before the Masters after all. But nearly every other star on the PGA Tour seems to be all in.

Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth became the latest to commit on Thursday, bolstering a field that already includes World’s No. 1 Dustin Johnson, four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau, Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott. The COVID-19 schedule adjustments that put the Houston Open a week ahead of this first fall Masters has been a Major help. But there’s no doubt that Houston Astros owner Jim Crane’s influence on the tournament and bringing it back inside the Houston city limits is also already making an impact.

The return of PGA Tour to Memorial Park should be fascinating for Houston golf devotees — whether they’re watching on TV or on site as part of the very limited crowd.

Memorial Park is a very different course now — and seeing Johnson, Koepka and Spieth navigate it next week will be worth watching. In many ways, more eyes will be on the Houston Open and Memorial Park than ever before because of the buildup to this unusual November Masters.

This year gives Crane and Astros Golf Foundation president Giles Kibbe a chance to show off everything the tournament can be (minus the massive galleries that add excitement) to many of the biggest stars on the PGA Tour. Who knows? If Johnson or Koepka enjoy their time in Houston next week, they (and others) might be more likely to commit to future Houston Opens that could not have a particularly advantageous date.

After saving Houston’s status as a PGA Tour stop all together, Crane is already moving on to the task of turning the Houston Open into a force on the calendar. That’s just how the self-made billionaire who moved to Houston with little more than what he had in a U-Haul trailer operates. It’s always on to the next step.

Getting this type of star-packed field — no matter the circumstances — can be a significant step.

Mickelson has long been a Houston regular, but the 50-year-old golf icon initially expressed some reservations about playing in front of even limited fans the week before The Masters. That reluctance seem to have been put aside with his commitment to playing next week. Of course, Spieth is a Dallas area native and University of Texas product who always appreciates playing in the Lone Star State.

That’s two more legitimate stars for the Houston Open — and more groundwork for the future.