The Shell Houston Open is now just the “Houston Open.” Visit the link for the latest updates.
Shell Houston Open Winners and History:
The Shell Houston Open has been played—in various forms—since 1922, when it was the Independent Insurance Agent Open. It became the Houston Open in 1946.
Today, the tournament is played at the Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas, just outside Houston. The Shell Houston Open is co-sponsored by Shell and the Houston Golf Association. The Houston Golf Association has operated as a non-profit since 1946 for the benefit of youth oriented charities. In addition to the recurring Shell Houston Open, the Association also has landed the 1969 US Open, the 1967 Ryder Cup, the 1990, 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003 PGA Tour Championships, as well as other USGA championships.
The Shell Houston Open was played at several Houston venues until the 1970s, starting at River Oaks Country Club in 1946 before moving to Memorial Park Golf Course in 1947 and, after a year off, moving again to Pine Forest Country Club in 1949 and BraeBurn Country Club in 1950. After this period of wandering about, the event settled in at Memorial Park from 1951–1963. In 1964 and again in 1965, the event was played at Sharpstown Country Club, before moving to Champions Golf Club from 1966–1971 and Westwood Country Club in 1972.
In 1973 the event ventured outside of Houston, being played at Quail Valley Country Club in Missouri City, Texas. In 1975, the event relocated to The Woodlands, Texas, first at Woodlands Country Club until 1984, and subsequently at the TPC at The Woodlands until 2002. In 2003, the event moved back to Houston to its current location at Redstone Golf Club.
Among the notable Shell Houston Open winners are Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Bobby Locke, Lee Elder, Ray Floyd and Curtis strange.
Three time Shell Houston Open winners include Vijay Sing and Curtis Strange. Two time Shell Houton Open winners include Stuart Appleby, Bruce Crampton, Arnold Palmer, Bobby Nichols, Mike Souchak, Jack Burke, Jr., and Cary Middlecoff.
Curtis Strange (1980), Lee Trevino (1980) and Vijay Singh (2002) hold the record for lowest aggregate score, at 266. The low 18 record is held by Fred Funk, 10-under-par 62, Woodlands TPC, 1992; and Ron Streck, 9-underpar 62, Woodlands West, 1982.
An interesting side note. Legendary amateur golfer Frank Stranahan finished second in 1952.
A list of Shell Houston Open winners follows:
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | 1st Prize ($) | Purse ($) | |
| Shell Houston Open | |||||||
| 2017 | Russell Henley | United States | 268 | -20 | 1,260,000 | 7,000,000 | |
| 2016 | Jim Herman | United States | 273 | -15 | 1,116,000 | 6,200,000 | |
| 2015 | JB Holmes | United States | 272 | -16 (PO) | 1,116,000 | 6,200,000 | |
| 2014 | Matt Jones | Australia | 273 (PO) | -15 | 1,116,000 | 6,200,000 | |
| 2013 | D.A. Points | United States | 272 | -16 | 1,116,000 | 6,200,000 | |
| 2012 | Hunter Mahan | United States | 272 | -16 | 1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | |
| 2011 | Phil Mickelson | United States | 268 | -20 | 1,062,000 | 5,900,000 | |
| 2010 | Anthony Kim | United States | 276 (PO) | -12 | 1,044,000 | 5,800,000 | |
| 2009 | Paul Casey | England | 277 (PO) | -11 | 1,026,000 | 5,700,000 | |
| 2008 | Johnson Wagner | United States | 272 | -16 | 1,008,000 | 5,600,000 | |
| 2007 | Adam Scott | Australia | 271 | -17 | 990,000 | 5,500,000 | |
| 2006 | Stuart Appleby | Australia | 269 | -19 | 990,000 | 5,500,000 | |
| 2005 | Vijay Singh | Fiji | 275 | -13 | 900,000 | 5,000,000 | |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh | Fiji | 277 | -11 | 900,000 | 5,000,000 | |
| 2003 | Fred Couples | United States | 267 | -21 | 810,000 | 4,500,000 | |
| 2002 | Vijay Singh | Fiji | 266 | -22 | 720,000 | 4,000,000 | |
| 2001 | Hal Sutton | United States | 278 | -10 | 612,000 | 3,400,000 | |
| 2000 | Robert Allenby | Australia | 275 | -13 | 504,000 | 2,800,000 | |
| 1999 | Stuart Appleby | Australia | 279 | -9 | 450,000 | 2,500,000 | |
| 1998 | David Duval | United States | 276 | -12 | 360,000 | 2,000,000 | |
| 1997 | Phil Blackmar | United States | 276 | -12 | 288,000 | 1,600,000 | |
| 1996 | Mark Brooks | United States | 274 | -14 | 270,000 | 1,500,000 | |
| 1995 | Payne Stewart | United States | 276 | -12 | 252,000 | 1,400,000 | |
| 1994 | Mike Heinen | United States | 272 | -16 | 234,000 | 1,300,000 | |
| 1993 | Jim McGovern | United States | 199 | -17 | 234,000 | 1,300,000 | |
| 1992 | Fred Funk | United States | 272 | -16 | 216,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| Independent Insurance Agent Open | |||||||
| 1991 | Fulton Allem | South Africa | 273 | -15 | 144,000 | 800,000 | |
| 1990 | Tony Sills | United States | 204 | -12 | 180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1989 | Mike Sullivan | United States | 280 | -8 | 144,000 | 800,000 | |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange | United States | 270 | -18 | 126,000 | 700,000 | |
| Big “I” Houston Open | |||||||
| 1987 | Jay Haas | United States | 276 | -12 | 108,000 | 600,000 | |
| Houston Open | |||||||
| 1986 | Curtis Strange | United States | 274 | -14 | 90,000 | 500,000 | |
| 1985 | Raymond Floyd | United States | 277 | -11 | 90,000 | 500,000 | |
| Houston Coca-Cola Open | |||||||
| 1984 | Corey Pavin | United States | 274 | -10 | 90,000 | 500,000 | |
| 1983 | David Graham | Australia | 275 | -9 | 72,000 | 400,000 | |
| Michelob-Houston Open | |||||||
| 1982 | Ed Sneed | United States | 275 | -9 | 63,000 | 350,000 | |
| 1981 | Ron Streck | United States | 198 | -15 | 47,250 | 262,500 | |
| 1980 | Curtis Strange | United States | 266 | -18 | 63,000 | 350,000 | |
| Houston Open | |||||||
| 1979 | Wayne Levi | United States | 268 | -16 | 54,000 | 300,000 | |
| 1978 | Gary Player | South Africa | 270 | -18 | 40,000 | 200,000 | |
| 1977 | Gene Littler | United States | 276 | -12 | 40,000 | 200,000 | |
| 1976 | Lee Elder | United States | 278 | -10 | 40,000 | 200,000 | |
| 1975 | Bruce Crampton | Australia | 273 | -15 | 30,000 | 150,000 | |
| 1974 | Dave Hill | United States | 276 | -12 | 30,000 | 150,000 | |
| 1973 | Bruce Crampton | Australia | 277 | -11 | 41,000 | 205,000 | |
| 1972 | Bruce Devlin | Australia | 278 | -10 | 25,000 | 125,000 | |
| Houston Champions International | |||||||
| 1971 | Hubert Green | United States | 280 | -4 | 25,000 | 125,000 | |
| 1970 | Gibby Gilbert | United States | 282 | -2 | 23,000 | 115,000 | |
| 1969 | No tournament – club hosted the 1969 U.S. Open | ||||||
| 1968 | Roberto De Vicenzo | Argentina | 274 | -10 | 20,000 | 100,000 | |
| 1967 | Frank Beard | United States | 274 | -10 | 23,000 | 115,000 | |
| 1966 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 275 | -9 | 21,000 | 110,000 | |
| Houston Classic | |||||||
| 1965 | Bobby Nichols | United States | 273 | -7 | 12,000 | 75,000 | |
| 1964 | Mike Souchak | United States | 278 | -6 | 7,500 | 50,000 | |
| 1963 | Bob Charles | New Zealand | 268 | -12 | 10,000 | 50,000 | |
| 1962 | Bobby Nichols | United States | 278 | -2 | 9,000 | 50,000 | |
| 1961 | Jay Hebert | United States | 276 | -4 | 7,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1960 | Bill Collins | United States | 280 | -8 | 5,300 | 35,000 | |
| 1959 | Jack Burke, Jr. | United States | 277 | -11 | 4,300 | 30,000 | |
| Houston Open | |||||||
| 1958 | Ed Oliver | United States | 281 | -7 | 4,300 | 30,000 | |
| 1957 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 279 | -9 | 7,500 | 36,000 | |
| 1956 | Ted Kroll | United States | 277 | -11 | 6,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1955 | Mike Souchak | United States | 273 | -15 | 6,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1954 | Dave Douglas | United States | 277 | -11 | 6,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1953 | Cary Middlecoff | United States | 283 | -5 | 4,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1952 | Jack Burke, Jr. | United States | 277 | -11 | 2,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1951 | Marty Furgol | United States | 277 | -11 | 2,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1950 | Cary Middlecoff | United States | 277 | -11 | 2,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1949 | Johnny Palmer | United States | 272 | -16 | 2,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1948 | No tournament | ||||||
| 1947 | Bobby Locke | South Africa | 277 | -11 | 2,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1946 | Byron Nelson | United States | 274 | -10 | 2,000 | 10,000 | |
| 1939-45 | No tournament | ||||||
| 1938 | Harold “Jug” McSpaden | United States | 212 | 700 | 3,000 | ||
| 1937 | Harry Cooper | United States | 280 | -4 | 700 | 3,000 | |
| 1933-36 | No tournament | ||||||
| 1932 | Clarence Clark | United States | 220 | 4 | 500 | 2,000 | |
| 1931 | No tournament | ||||||
| 1930 | Al Espinosa | United States | 281 | -7 | 600 | 2,500 | |
| 1925-29 | No tournament | ||||||
| 1924 | Joe Kirkwood, Sr. | Australia | 259 | 500 | |||
| Independent Insurance Agent Open | |||||||
| 1923 | Joe Kirkwood, Sr. | Australia | 151 | 200 | |||
| Independent Insurance Agent Open | |||||||
| 1922 | George Bowden | 147 | |||||
| Pete O’Hara (tie) | |||||||
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