PGA Tour Brunch | Texas Children's
Final Round Coverage of the 2026 Texas Children's Houston Open
By TERRY LYONS, Editor: Digital Sports Desk
HOUSTON - Gary Woodland (1st/-18) entered the third round with a three-stroke lead, and he posted a 5-under (65) to lead by one over Nicolai Højgaard.
At (192), Woodland set his career-best 54-hole score on TOUR (previous: 195/2016 World Wide Technology Championship/2nd).
He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green (7.183) and holds his 10th career 54-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR and first since the 2019 U.S. Open (a span of 2,478 days).
Woodland is only 2-for-9 converting in 54-hole lead/co-lead to victory on TOUR (2013 Reno-Tahoe Open, 2019 U.S. Open)
He finished runner-up at the 2025 Texas Children’s Houston Open, marking his 11th runner-up finish on TOUR and best finish on TOUR since most recent victory (2019 U.S. Open) and seeks to become the first player to finish runner-up and then win the same tournament the next season since Robert MacIntyre (2023, 2024 Genesis Scottish Open)
*Woodland is the recipient of the 2025 PGA TOUR Courage Award as he underwent surgery to remove a brain lesion in September 2023 and returned to competition at the 2024 Sony Open in Hawaii.
Nicolai Højgaard (2nd/-17) - One day after tying the tournament 18-hole scoring record with a personal-best 8-under (62), he posted a scorching 7-under (63).
At (193), he set his career-best 54-hole score on TOUR (previous: 200/2024 Genesis Scottish Open/T39). He’s seeking his first victory in his 63rd start on Tour.
Houston Open Leaderboard | After 54 Holes
1 Gary Woodland 64 63 65 192 (-18)
2 Nicolai Højgaard 68 62 63 193 (-17)
T3 Min Woo Lee 68 63 67 198 (-12)
T3 Michael Thorbjornsen 68 64 66 198 (-12)
Full Leaderboard: (link)
Tournament Facts
THIS WEEK on the PGA Tour: Texas Children’s Houston Open
COURSE: Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas
TOURNAMENT SITE: (link)
TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW: (link)
HOUSTON OPEN PAST RESULTS: (link)
ARCHITECT: John Bredemus
YARDS/PAR: 7,475 yards/Par 70
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $9,900,000/$1,782,000
DEFENDING Champion: Min Woo Lee
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500
Tee Times and Weather | A Quick Look
Tee Times: (link) - Tee times are scheduled for today at 8:20am to 12:55pm EDT.
Weather: Today’s forecast is for mostly sunny skies with temps going from 54-degrees to 79-degrees by 1:00pm (local). Winds at 8mph and zero chance of rain.
PGA Tour Brunch will publish at 12 Noon on Monday
Media Coverage of 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Sunday, March 29, 2026 - (All Times Eastern Daylight)
8:15am-6:00pm, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ Streaming
1:00pm - 6:00pm, SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and Online
1:00pm-3:00pm, Golf Channel and Peacock Net
3:00pm-6:00pm, NBC and Peacock Net
How to Watch (PGATourCom)
What They’re Saying
Woodland is Up One after 54 (ESPN)
Thorbjornesen in Contention (PGATourCom)
How to Watch Finale of the 2026 Houston Open (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History
March 29, 1998 - Justin Leonard came from five shots back to win The PLAYERS Championship by two strokes over Glenn Day and Tom Lehman. “There wasn’t a lot of pressure on me being five back,” said Leonard after pocketing the $720,000 first place prize money. - (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putts
Coming This Week
PGA Tour Brunch is Brought to You By: DIGITAL SPORTS DESK
About PGA Tour Brunch
This e-Newsletter is designed to give golf fans basic news and updated information on the PGA Tour and its tournament of the week. On most days, it will arrive in your inbox at Noon (ET) (usually) six days a week (not Tuesdays). As the tour switches time zones, we might adjust.
While there’s a glut of e-News flooding your inbox every morning, PGA Tour Brunch will provide you with some interesting reading at lunchtime. We are not affiliated with the PGA Tour or any tournament but rather an accredited news outlet. Let us know if you are interested in a partnership. This is not affiliated with the PGA Tour organization.|