(04-01-2018 05:08 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Houston probably would be better off with a fall event if they can't get a big name sponsor. I bet you someone steps up but it probably won't be a big money deal. Is there any chance they could move it to Wildcat? I know their layout isn't up to PGA standards currently but I wonder if they converted their 36-hole layout into 18 championship holes, it might be worth a shot? At least that way you'd have some undulation and pretty enough aerial shots of parts of Houston.

I doubt any future site of the Houston Open would stray from the GCOH; it is a purpose built facility and no other Houston course can really compete in terms of things "outside the ropes" AND I don't think the venue is the hold up on sponsorship/calendar placement etc. The PGA Tour has been big on making the smaller tournaments build special purpose golf courses just for the tour stops (All of the random TPC courses, San Antonio, Trinity Forest in Dallas); only historically relevant courses get to keep small clubhouses, no parking etc. as part of their tournament package (Colonial, Riveria, Pebble Beach).

That said, I am not sure what happens in smoke filled rooms when the PGA Tour makes their tournament decisions; it is quite the black box with none of the details getting out to the public. I am guessing it all comes down to sponsorship dollars; if you can't land a big sponsor then you can't assist the PGA Tour in the perpetual increase of prize money. Houston isn't a great golf city (flat swampy land and we don't have the benefit of the golf economy like Florida has) and it hasn't helped that until recently the PGA tour didn't really do anything for the Houston Open (but it did give some Tour Championships to Champions...probably because of Jackie Burke).

As soon as Shell was ambivalent about their sponsorship, the Tour probably decided to cut us out of the schedule and make an example out of Houston as we are relegated to either a fall event or an opposite field event or just close up shop completely. The fact no other sponsor has appeared likely means the PGA Tour has already decided to push us in this direction. They heavily subsidized the event this year and the HGA drained their coffers, so I am not sure the event can go another year sans sponsor.