Liam Murphy feels that Scottie Scheffler is less dominant heading into this year's Masters, creating opportunities for other players. Murphy noted that Scheffler has been playing at his 'B-plus' game level this year rather than at peak form. While Scheffler’s current level of play still positions him as one of the best, it's a significant step back from the 'unbeatable' form he displayed previously. Murphy believes this less dominant form opens the door for other elite golfers like Rory McIlroy or Bryson DeChambeau to win by simply being consistently good rather than needing to deliver historically exceptional performances. Murphy indicated this broader opportunity makes betting markets more wide open than last year.

Matt Wiley reiterated a strong and definitive belief that Scottie Scheffler is essentially an unstoppable force entering The Masters. Comparing him to Shohei Ohtani's level of inevitability in baseball, Wiley said that Scheffler's current form and golfing ability make his victory feel inevitable and unbeatable. Given Scheffler's exceptional recent play, consistent dominance in major tournaments, and supreme confidence, Wiley sees no realistic scenario in which Scheffler fails to significantly contend this weekend, making him a must-play in both betting and DFS lineups despite high cost.

Keith Stewart strongly identified Scottie Scheffler as his clear favorite to win The Masters largely due to Scheffler's remarkably consistent, error-free playing style. He emphasized how Augusta's current setup would severely punish mistakes, citing course adjustments like lengthening hole 13 and reconstructing greens, and anticipated tougher conditions (firm and fast surfaces, challenging wind direction similar to last year) that demand extremely disciplined decision-making. Stewart noted Scheffler explicitly stated this week he feels more prepared than ever for Augusta—a particularly strong statement given Scheffler is a recent two-time winner here. Stewart confidently stated that Scheffler will methodically produce a score around minus nine, forcing competitors to achieve exceptional results simply to beat his unwavering consistency.

Eric Polzin recommended betting Scottie Scheffler under 4.5 birdies or better based on the anticipated difficulty of The Masters course. Noting Scheffler's inflated line compared to other golfers whose lines have dropped, Polzin expressed skepticism that Scheffler could almost double the course average of approximately 2.8 birdies. Despite Scheffler's elite status, Polzin urged caution, emphasizing that difficult scoring conditions would significantly impact even top golfers.

Despite voicing some concerns about Scheffler's recent decreased consistency, Rick Gehman ultimately sees plenty of reasons to remain bullish on Scottie Scheffler at Augusta. He cited Scheffler's extraordinary Masters record since 2020, where he's 32 under par—11 shots better than anyone else during that span—as indicative of natural confidence on this course. He highlighted Scheffler's hidden advantage: elite strokes gained around the greens at Augusta National, supported by historically strong performance in short-game categories for three consecutive Masters. While cautious on his win potential, Gehman strongly endorsed Scheffler's top-10 potential, rating a top-10 finish as nearly even money and high likelihood.

Sean Fairholm explained the reasoning behind backing Scottie Scheffler as a safer top-five finish bet rather than an outright winner at +450 odds. Despite coming off a dominant 2024 season with nine victories, Scheffler had a slow start in 2025 due partly to a January hand injury involving a ravioli incident. Although he hasn't secured a win so far this year, Scheffler recently showed peak form with a T2 at the Houston Open, indicating he might be rounding into form at the perfect time for a shot at defending his Masters title. Given the lack of dominance thus far, Fairholm recommended including Scheffler in a top-five finish parlay at even money, seeing it as a smarter and safer play than choosing him outright.

Joe Champion warned against backing Scottie Scheffler to defend his Masters title in 2025, highlighting the rarity of repeat champions at Augusta, which hasn't happened since Tiger Woods in 2002. Champion noted Scheffler's lack of wins this season, a downturn after claiming nine wins in 2024 with elite ball-striking numbers resembling peak Tiger Woods. This regression in form is partly due to a recent hand injury that delayed the start of Scheffler’s 2025 season. Although Scheffler showed positive signs with a second-place finish at Memorial Park, Champion emphasized the significant challenges and added pressure inherent to repeating at Augusta, suggesting caution for Scheffler bettors unless acknowledging the historical difficulty involved.

Julio Cesar Valdera Morales recommended betting on Scottie Scheffler to achieve a top-10 finish at the 2025 Masters, emphasizing Scheffler's stellar track record at Augusta National. Scheffler has only once finished outside the top 10 at the Masters, which came during his debut (T19). Since then, he's earned two victories including the previous year's tournament. Scheffler also enters Augusta in strong form despite a delayed start due to a hand injury on Christmas Day 2024, having finished in the top 25 in all six tournaments he has played this season, including one runner-up placement and two other top-10 finishes. At odds of -175 for a top-10 finish, Morales described the bet as providing solid value, highlighting both Scheffler's consistency and prior success at Augusta.

Chris Gregory pointed out Scottie Scheffler as the logical betting favorite heading into the 2025 Masters. Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, enters Augusta on strong recent form after securing a T2 finish at the Houston Open last week. His 2025 PGA Tour season has been extremely consistent, not finishing outside of the Top 25 in six events. Gregory noted Scheffler's odds are around +400, reflecting both his elite recent form and his past success at Augusta National, while cautioning that winning the Masters in back-to-back years remains historically rare.

Dave Tindall identifies World No.1 Scottie Scheffler as a highly reliable contender in the 2025 Masters top-5 and top-10 markets, but cautions against backing him outright to win. Despite Scheffler's remarkable consistency, including a 72% top-10 rate over his last 50 events and recent runner-up finish in Houston, winning three Masters titles in four years has only been achieved once in history by Jack Nicklaus. The delayed start to his 2025 season due to minor hand surgery after a Christmas cooking mishap is another concern. Still, Scheffler's exceptional Masters record (two wins in 2022 and 2024 and a top-10 finish in four of his last five appearances) makes him appealing for safer bets such as top-5 (odds 2.46) or top-10 (odds 1.75), rather than the outright victory.

Jordan Kaye noted Scottie Scheffler is listed as the betting favorite at 4-1 to repeat as Masters champion, despite what Kaye described as a notably subpar season compared to his usual standards. Scheffler is winless so far this season on the PGA Tour and has achieved just three Top-10 finishes, significantly down from the seven he had by the same time last year. Given this evidence, Kaye implicitly cautioned bettors about expecting Scheffler to replicate past success, raising concerns over his current form heading into the Masters.

Skylar Hoke advised avoiding betting on Scottie Scheffler at current odds around 4:1 to 4.5:1 to win The Masters. Despite Scheffler's elite iron play, off-the-tee distance and accuracy, recent putting improvements, and outstanding course history (finished 1st, 10th, and 1st the last three appearances), Skylar notes his build-up to the event isn't as dominant as previous winning years. He pointed out that Scheffler had multiple wins leading into his 2021 and 2023 Masters victories, while this year he has none so far. Additionally, Skylar flagged the odd cooking accident Scheffler suffered around Christmas that disrupted his early season prep. Although Scheffler's recent results since returning—9th, 25th, 3rd, 11th, 20th, and 2nd—are strong, the lack of recent victories entering the tournament leaves Skylar skeptical of backing him at such short odds.

Pat Fitzmaurice advised against betting Scottie Scheffler at his opening odds of +400 despite Scheffler being a favorite. Instead, Fitzmaurice laid out a strategy for betting on Scheffler in-play, recommending bettors wait for Scheffler's odds to lengthen in response to early-round fluctuations—a bogey or double early in the tournament or another player building an early lead. Fitzmaurice stressed that Scheffler's ability to come from behind to contend, along with his prior Augusta wins and record there, makes a live-betting strategy sensible, providing a better value rather than betting outright pre-tournament at short odds.

Brandon Gdula is optimistic on Scottie Scheffler, citing his dominant Augusta history with two wins, five consecutive top-20 finishes, and three straight top-10s over the past five Masters tournaments. Scheffler is trending positively thanks to improved putting at his last outing in Houston, addressing recent concerns over short putts missed. Gdula emphasized Scheffler's elite iron play combined with his renewed confidence in putting as reasons for Scheffler's shortening betting odds, currently priced at 4-1 to win outright on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Steve Bamford strongly cautioned against betting on Scottie Scheffler at current odds (9/2), pointing out the lack of historical precedent for defending Masters champions repeating success. Scheffler's odds are nearly unchanged from last year (4/1) despite clear issues in his recent form, noted struggles over Christmas, and failing to secure recent events he previously dominated. Bamford highlighted that historically, only Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth have managed even a top-five Masters finish after winning the previous year, emphasizing how challenging it is to back up a Masters victory. He found Scheffler's current price devoid of betting value, strongly recommending bettors steer clear despite Scheffler's capability.

Andy Lack underscored Scottie Scheffler as a significant contender given Augusta's expected tough playing conditions. Referencing historical context, Andy noted last year Scheffler won by four strokes in extremely difficult conditions, exemplifying expert control tee-to-green. He highlighted that Augusta traditionally rewards players who can assert command over their ball flight and distance control. Steve Bamford mentioned a key example of Scheffler managing Augusta's challenging 15th hole effectively under windy conditions. Given current forecasts of firm conditions and a problematic wind direction again favoring precise ball-strikers, Andy expects Scheffler to again thrive and strongly advises DFS or betting consideration.

Neil Parker anticipates Scottie Scheffler will not defend his Masters title successfully. Parker points to Scheffler's concerning short-game metrics heading into Augusta. Although Scheffler managed a strong putting performance at Houston Open, his overall short game has faltered, losing true strokes gained around the greens in four of his six PGA Tour events this year. Compared to his dominant form last year, Scheffler's recent play has notably slipped.

Jim Mackay picked Scottie Scheffler to win the 2025 Masters, primarily due to Scheffler's prior success at Augusta National, emphasizing it's significantly easier to win the Masters having done so before. Mackay noted that Scheffler enters this week with far less pressure than Rory McIlroy, who is still attempting to complete a career Grand Slam. Despite McIlroy being the sentimental favorite, Mackay believes previous Masters experience and reduced pressure positions Scheffler as the most likely winner.

Robby Kalland identified Scottie Scheffler as a clear favorite at the 2025 Masters based on his dominant historical performance at Augusta National, winning two of the last three tournaments. Despite not yet claiming a PGA Tour victory in 2025, Scheffler has consistently been in elite form, placing inside the top 25 in all six events so far and recently securing a runner-up finish in Houston. He is pursuing his third Masters title, putting him among a select group of historically elite company at Augusta.

Drake Dunaway discussed his cautious stance on preseason favorite Scottie Scheffler, citing unfavorably short odds of +450 as unappealing given Augusta's strong field. However, Dunaway suggested he would promptly wager on Scheffler if he starts slowly and his odds become more enticing in live betting markets. Scheffler, who seeks a third Masters victory in just four years and a return to his dominant 2024 form, represents a compelling pick if he's available at improved odds after a potential early bogey.

Jack Hirsh highlighted Scottie Scheffler as a risky betting favorite for the 2025 Masters, even though Scheffler remains the top pick according to oddsmakers at +450. Hirsh points out that this year is notably different from 2024, when Scheffler was dominant heading into Augusta with two victories already secured and eventually compiled seven wins plus an Olympic gold medal. This season, however, Scheffler hasn't won since last year's Tour Championship and missed early-season events due to a hand injury. He does have three top-10 finishes in six starts, including a recent T2 at the Houston Open, but there's clear concern about his form and readiness compared to previous years.

Kristopher Knox described Scottie Scheffler as a key contender for the 2025 Masters, despite Scheffler not recording any tour wins thus far in 2025. Knox emphasized Scheffler's recent Masters dominance, winning two of the last three (2022 and 2024) events, noting that no player has captured consecutive titles at Augusta since Tiger Woods (2021 and 2022). Knox believes Scheffler's unprecedented success at Augusta and current status as World No. 1 remain powerful factors in favoring him this week. Although he is still without wins in 2025, Knox insists it would be no surprise if Scheffler repeats, highlighting his consistency and elite skill at Augusta National.

Dave Tindall heavily cautioned against backing Scottie Scheffler due to the alarming record of defending champions at Augusta. Historically, reigning Masters winners frequently underperform significantly, potentially struggling due to extra responsibilities like the champions dinner and heightened expectations. Tindall further emphasized concerns about Scheffler, noting his failure to secure a victory in the current season, recent inconsistencies with his approach shots—including noticeably missing pin-high accuracy—and potential mental pressure from unusually long winless streaks. Tindall firmly advises fading Scheffler outright given these compounded negative historical and recent-performance indicators.

Pat Mayo highlighted multiple factors working against Scottie Scheffler winning the 2025 Masters. Although still ranked number one and highly favored, Scheffler has yet to secure a win in 2025, despite consistently finishing near the top. Additionally, past tournament history suggests it's highly unlikely he could repeat, as no golfer has successfully defended their Masters title since Tiger Woods in the early 2000s. Further, no golfer has ever won the Masters three times over four years, another major historical trend working against Scheffler. Scheffler also severely cut his hand before 2025 began, and though he's returned to strong performance levels, his ball striking metrics are noticeably worse than during his standout 2024 season. Last week's performance at the Houston Open, where he gained an uncharacteristically high number of strokes putting but still failed to win, suggests something critical is slightly off. For these reasons, Mayo advised caution on backing Scheffler for outright win bets at current odds.

Sia Nejad expressed a preference against betting Scottie Scheffler at current short odds in the outright winner market for The Masters. Nejad acknowledged Scheffler's elite talent and did not question his overall capability, but felt strongly that current betting prices on Scheffler offered limited value. Instead of placing bets on golfers positioned at the very top of the odds board, Nejad highlighted his preference to look elsewhere for stronger value propositions with more attractive pricing.

David Barnett highlighted optimal roster construction based on recent historical DraftKings Millie Maker winning lineups for the Masters, pointing out each successful lineup featured only one golfer priced in the five-digit salary range—specifically Scottie Scheffler at the highest salary tier. Barnett explained this observed strategy allowed DFS participants to incorporate a strong lineup base with considerable upside and depth due to flexibility gained by avoiding multiple highly expensive picks. Emphasizing this historical precedent could guide smart DFS construction, Barnett recommended confidently limiting DFS salary allocation within the high-end pricing tier, then building a balanced, strong floor of players priced lower.

Matt Gannon advised against betting Scottie Scheffler at his current short odds of +420 for the Masters, despite Scheffler having won this tournament two of the past three years. Gannon emphasized Scheffler hasn't secured any victories in the 2025 calendar year, which historically has been a negative indicator, as each of the past five Masters winners, excluding Hideki Matsuyama, had won an event earlier that year. Gannon highlighted that Scheffler's iron play, previously a dominant strength, has diminished significantly this year, noting his recent wedge and iron approaches have consistently been off in distance control—uncharacteristic compared to his historically precise iron play. He also pointed out Scheffler's shocking loss at Memorial Park, where he gained seven strokes putting—his second-best career putting week—and still failed to secure a win, underscoring reasons for skepticism despite being the betting favorite.

Eric Polzin highlighted Scottie Scheffler as the top play at this year's Masters, justifying his lofty DraftKings salary of $12.4K. Scheffler's recent form has been superb, highlighted by a second-place finish at the Houston Open in his latest start, preceded by strong placements of 20th, 11th, and 3rd. His substantial tournament history at Augusta further strengthens the case, having won twice (including last year), along with additional top finishes (18th,10th). Scheffler shines in Polzin's key statistical categories this week, ranking second in birdie-to-bogey ratio, seventh in total driving, eighth in strokes gained approach, and a solid 22nd around the green. Given the softer pricing structure of DraftKings for this event, Polzin believes Scheffler both warrants and fits well into lineup constructions.

Pat Perry viewed Scottie Scheffler's runner-up finish at Houston positively, highlighting Scheffler's putting as a significant factor. While Scheffler didn't win, Perry suggested the week was nearly perfect preparation for Augusta. Scheffler demonstrated solid form without peaking prematurely, providing the ideal mix of solid play and motivation as he heads to Augusta. Perry expressed confidence in Scheffler's trajectory and form heading into The Masters, underscoring that his performance at Houston aligns perfectly with expectations for Augusta.

Kenny Kim believes Scottie Scheffler is trending toward a strong performance at The Masters following his recent showings. At the last tournament, Scheffler made an impressive comeback effort, nearly converting a critical eagle putt, although faltering slightly on a late approach shot at hole 18. Kim stated Scheffler's form and rust removal look evident and indicated he's ready to compete at Augusta, a course where he's tasted victory twice already and suits his game particularly well. Kim suggested a strong positive outlook for Scheffler's Masters chances, advising backing him either in outright bets or DFS.

Adding to a previous taek advising fading Scottie Scheffler due to recent subpar form, Byron Lindeque further cautioned against playing Scottie Scheffler in the 2025 Houston Open specifically because of the tournament's expected windy, blustery conditions. Lindeque recounted Scheffler visibly struggling and growing frustrated at The Players Championship, where he was unsettled by windy conditions impacting his shots. Given Memorial Park's similar forecast for strong wind—a scenario where Scheffler's recent temperamental reaction suggests difficulties—Lindeque strongly recommended avoiding Scheffler this week, believing windy conditions combined with current confidence issues put him at considerable disadvantage.

Derek Farnsworth strongly prefers Scottie Scheffler at the Houston Open, emphasizing multiple favorable factors. Scheffler has extensive experience playing at Memorial Park, with a proven track record at this venue. Playing in his home state of Texas further boosts motivation, along with the fact he hasn't won yet this season, creating added incentive heading into the Masters. Farnsworth contrasts this motivation level to Rory McIlroy, who just notched his biggest recent win at The Players Championship and may lack the urgency Scheffler brings. Farnsworth advises paying the extra salary ($1000 more) for Scheffler given these compelling dynamics, especially for cash games and smaller-field DFS contests.

Pat Perry makes a case for Scottie Scheffler at the Houston Open, noting Scheffler's visible frustration at his recent struggles during The Players Championship. Despite these issues, Perry believes Scheffler is highly motivated to sharpen his form heading into The Masters, especially given his near-victory at this same Houston event last year, when he finished second and likely should have won. With Rory McIlroy already playing at peak form, Scheffler appears to have significantly more urgency to regain confidence and momentum, making him Perry's preferred top-tier option to bet outright this week.

Chris Breece expressed clear skepticism towards Scottie Scheffler's top-10 odds of -200 at the Texas Children's Houston Open. Breece highlighted Scheffler's surprisingly unimpressive start to the season relative to these aggressive odds, with only one top-five and two top-ten finishes in fewer than half of his starts in 2025. Notably, he suggested that while betting Scheffler outright at +350 could have value due to Scheffler's high quality play and past performance in Texas events, the heavily juiced top-10 odds of minus 200 are prohibitively poor and should not be considered.

Casey Johnston advocated for backing Scottie Scheffler outright to win the Texas Children's Houston Open at odds of +350 despite acknowledging these short odds. Johnston reasoned that Scheffler's Texas roots, runner-up finish at this event last year, and his motivation to capture a victory ahead of the upcoming Masters provide strong justification. He emphasized that despite limited high finishes this season (only one top five and two top tens), comforting course familiarity in Texas along with a desire to gain momentum before Augusta makes Scheffler a particularly appealing bet this week.

Matt Brown expressed caution in betting Scottie Scheffler outright this week at the Houston Open, emphasizing the tournament might serve Scheffler more as a Masters tune-up than a serious winning effort. Brown noted Scheffler's recent struggles, particularly with long irons, theorizing Scheffler's motivation for playing the Houston Open could be more about working to improve specific aspects of his game rather than aggressively seeking a tournament victory. Despite Scheffler's favorable history with two runner-up finishes at Memorial Park and local ties to Texas, Brown believes motivations tied to sharpening game elements rather than focusing solely on victory could make outright betting risky, especially at his short odds around +350.

The Anonymous Swing Coach backed Scottie Scheffler (+500) to win the Texas Children's Houston Open, noting Scheffler typically plays exceptionally well in Texas. The coach believes Scheffler will be highly motivated to end his win drought ahead of Augusta, drawing a parallel to chalk picks successfully coming through in recent March Madness tournaments. Scheffler's strong past performances in Texas events support confidence in his chances.

Cameron DaSilva advised against wagering on favorite Scottie Scheffler (+350 odds) at the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open. DaSilva noted that although it's typically easy to back the world's No. 1 golfer, Scheffler currently presents limited betting value, combined with relatively lackluster form by his own exceptional standards so far this season. With more compelling values and form elsewhere in the field, DaSilva suggested avoiding Scheffler this week.

Zach Thompson highlighted Scottie Scheffler as a strong DraftKings DFS option despite being the highest-priced golfer at $12,700. Scheffler carries the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections in the field, driven by ranking 2nd in Strokes Gained: Tee-To-Green and Total Strokes Gained, and 3rd in SG: Approach. Although he hasn't secured a win this season, Scheffler has been consistent with top-25 finishes in all five events played. His recent history at Memorial Golf Club in Houston is particularly strong, finishing inside the top 10 in three consecutive visits, including two runner-up outcomes in 2021 and last year in 2023. Given his reasonable ownership projection relative to his massive upside (highest Perfect% in field and second-highest SimLeverage), Scheffler provides elite-level potential for GPP DFS lineups this week.

Len Hochberg acknowledged recent doubts around Scottie Scheffler's performances but strongly endorsed him as a top DFS play for the Texas Children's Houston Open. Hochberg pointed out Scheffler's outstanding history at Memorial Park Golf Course, finishing runner-up in both 2021 and 2024, coupled with his consistent recent form. Despite talk of struggles, Scheffler has posted finishes of T3, T9, T11, T20, and T25 already this season—all in much stronger fields. According to Hochberg's statistical model, Scheffler ranks top 5 in critical categories such as SG: Off-the-Tee, Approach and bogey avoidance. Hochberg ultimately placed Scheffler at number two overall in his predictive model, justifying his premium DFS price tag.

RJ Ochoa believes Scottie Scheffler is destined to win the Texas Children's Houston Open, considering it unlikely that Scheffler will enter his Masters title defense without a victory this season. Ochoa noted that Scheffler is playing in his home state, providing added motivation and comfort. Given Scheffler's world-class status and skillset perfectly aligning with Memorial Park—combining length off the tee and strong short game—Ochoa identified him as a standout choice despite his short betting odds (+330).

John Schwarb confidently backed Scottie Scheffler at +375 to win the Houston Open, noting Scheffler needs this victory to reassert his No.1 ranking after Rory McIlroy's recent success including his Players Championship win. Scheffler has strong history at this venue, having recorded two runner-up finishes in recent years, indicating a comfort level at Memorial Park. Schwarb anticipates Scheffler will return to the winner's circle, setting up a significant battle ahead of Augusta.

Matthew Wiley supports Scottie Scheffler as a strong DFS pivot this week, taking a contrarian stance by favoring him over Rory McIlroy. Wiley predicts this is the exact week Scheffler puts it all together, emphasizing Scheffler's strong track record in Texas and his two runner-up finishes at this event in the past. Scheffler’s consistent performance at this venue and relative low ownership expectations compared to Rory are central to Wiley’s optimistic perspective. He further states that if Scheffler does not produce a top-10 finish this week—considering his Texas roots and previous close calls—it would warrant serious concern about his current game.

Andy Lack likes Scottie Scheffler as his top DFS play at Memorial Park for the Texas Children's Houston Open, despite Rory McIlroy's recent better form. Scheffler narrowly missed winning this very event last year and has proven comfortable at Memorial Park, a course redesigned to play similar to Augusta with low rough penalties and difficult green complexes. Lack noted the significance of this event as Scheffler's final opportunity to build momentum heading into the Masters, believing Scheffler will re-establish himself with a strong performance this week.

Casey Johnston predicts Scottie Scheffler will win the Texas Children's Houston Open, citing strong course history and current form. Scheffler finished T2 at this event last year, narrowly missing out to Stephan Jaeger. Johnston feels Scheffler, still winless in 2025, is overdue for a victory heading into the Masters, and this Texas homecoming event offers a perfect opportunity for him to secure it.

Alex Hunter praised Scottie Scheffler as an ideal cash game selection despite the high price ($12,700 on DraftKings), supported by strong reasoning. Scheffler is the unanimous betting favorite at +350 odds due to his exceptional history at Memorial Park, including runner-up finishes twice in his last three visits and a course-record-tying 62 in 2021. Hunter emphasized Scheffler's outstanding recent ball striking, claiming he is just one good putting performance away from winning. Scheffler’s familiarity with Memorial Park's greens significantly improves his odds of a solid putting showing and a contending finish.

Bob Weeks recommends a top-10 bet on Scottie Scheffler despite acknowledging the limited value at -200 odds. Weeks noted Scheffler's inconsistency with the putter as the primary reason for hesitation, with recent cold spells contrasting sharply with last year's performance at a similar point in the season. However, Weeks pointed to Scheffler's incredible consistency with his tee-to-green performance, ranking second on Tour in this critical metric, as reason enough to confidently expect a strong finish at Memorial Park.

Brandon Gdula advises caution on betting Scottie Scheffler outright at +350 despite recognizing his elite long-term performance advantage. Although Scheffler maintains a substantial long-term edge—around 0.7 shots per round better than Rory McIlroy over the past year—and a bankable iron play advantage, Gdula's model shows Scheffler's probability closer to plus 380 rather than his current priced odds. Gdula concludes the betting market has priced Scheffler accurately, making him a less appealing outright bet compared to Rory McIlroy's more attractive number at +700 this week.

Andy Lang warned bettors against backing Scottie Scheffler at the Houston Open, emphasizing that the current version of Scheffler is noticeably different from last year's dominant form. Scheffler hasn't finished inside the top two yet this season and only managed 20th and 11th in his two recent tournaments. Moreover, for the first time in recent memory, Scheffler isn't the leader in total strokes gained for the field—a stark drop-off considering he usually dominated this metric. Lang cited a concerning scenario last week when Scheffler barely remained inside the top-20, relying on the outcome of another player's final putt. With all key stats trending slightly down, Lang concluded that Scheffler is overpriced at current odds and is a player to avoid this week, particularly in head-to-head matchups or outright bets.

Patrick McDonald made Scottie Scheffler his outright pick, highlighting Scheffler's strong history at Memorial Park and near-win last year. Scheffler came agonizingly close to winning last year but missed crucial short putts. McDonald sees his current form rounding out perfectly just before the Masters. Emphasizing that Scheffler has a good cadence playing Houston, resting, then preparing for Augusta, McDonald believes Scheffler will finally break through here and head into Augusta with momentum.

Shane Bacon picked Scottie Scheffler as a strong candidate to win the Texas Children's Houston Open, highlighting Scheffler's excellent track record at Memorial Park despite not securing a win yet. Last year, Scheffler seemed poised for victory until short putting misses, including a critical five-footer to force a playoff, cost him the title. Bacon noted Scheffler's recent struggles off the tee, particularly an uncharacteristic left miss, and emphasized the need for him to tighten up putting from the three-to-six foot range this week. With Augusta looming, Bacon sees this as a key week for Scheffler to address these issues and enter the Masters with significant momentum.