PGA Tour Brunch | Texas Children's | R-2
Second Round Coverage of the 2026 Texas Children's Houston Open
By TERRY LYONS, Editor: Digital Sports Desk
HOUSTON - Forty-one year old Paul Waring (1st/-7), playing on a Major Medical Extension, posted a bogey-free, career-low 7-under (63) to take the lead in the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open. Waring previously shot (65) twice on TOUR, most recently during the first round of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.
His round included a career-best 161’ 10” of putts made with his previous best: 136’ 9” at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open/R1. Waring leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (5.342) and T1 in Scrambling (4/4). He holds the lead/co-lead for the first time after any round on TOUR
Waring made his second start at Texas Children’s Houston Open (MC/2025; 76-72).
Gary Woodland (2nd/-6) equalled the best opening-round score of his career with a (64) - the seventh occasion for that score and most recently at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship).
Woodland is bidding 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).
Sam Burns (T3/-5) posted a 5-under (65) in his fifth start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He had back-to-back T7 finishes at Memorial Park Golf Course in 2020 and 2021.
Defending champion Min Woo Lee (T31/-2) shot a 2-under (68) as he seeks to become the second player to successfully defend a Texas Children’s Houston Open title (Vijay Singh/2005/GC of Houston).
Three of the four past Texas Children’s Houston Open champions in the field sit T11 or better: Stephan Jaeger (T6/-4), Adam Scott (T11/-3), Tony Finau (T11/-3), with Min Woo Lee (T31/-2) further back after 18 holes.
Aaron Rai (neck injury) WD prior to the first round and was replaced by Taylor Moore (T11/-3)
Houston Open Leaderboard | After 18 Holes
1 Paul Waring 63 (-7)
2 Gary Woodland 64 (-6)
T3 Sam Burns 65 (-5)
T3 Michael Brennan 65 (-5)
T3 Tom Hoge 65 (-5)
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, Field, Updates and Weather | A Quick Look
Tee Times: (link) - Tee times are scheduled for today at 8:20am to 3:21pm EDT.
Field: (link)
Updates:
Sunday, March 22
Austin Smotherman (WD), Danny Willett (IN)
Cam Davis (WD), Jimmy Stanger (IN)
Ryo Hisatsune (WD), Paul Waring (IN)
Michael Kim (WD), Jesper Svensson (IN)
Monday, March 23
Matt McCarty (WD), Doug Ghim (IN)
Field expanded from 133 players to 135 to round out threesomes:
Andrew Putnam (IN)
Kris Ventura (IN)
Tuesday, March 24
Bud Cauley (WD), Seamus Poer (IN)
Scottie Scheffler (WD), Matt Kuchar (IN)
Wednesday, March 25
Marcelo Rozo (WD), Justin Lower (IN)
Weather: Today’s forecast is for partly cloudy skies with temperatures soaring from 69-to-78 degrees, 84 degrees. A 2% chance of rain and diminishing winds 4-to-6 mph.
PGA Tour Brunch will publish by 8:00am on Saturday
Media Coverage of 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Friday, March 27, 2026 - (All Times Eastern Daylight)
8:15am-7:00pm, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ Streaming
1:00pm - 7:00pm, SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and Online
3:00pm-7:00pm, Golf Channel
How to Watch (PGATourCom)
What They’re Saying
Waring’s Got Game (PGATourCom)
Woodland - One Shot Back (PGATourCom)
How to Watch the 2026 Houston Open (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History
March 27, 1994 - Greg Norman dominated at The PLAYERS Championship as he shot his third consecutive round of (67) as he posted a 72-hole record (264) and 24-under par. Norman defeated Fuzzy Zoeller by four strokes. Just before the win, Zoeller walked over to Norman with a towel and wiped his brow, saying, “In my 20 years here, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player play as well for 72 holes.” (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putts
This Week
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