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2020 Houston Open: Top 10 power rankings at Memorial Park

By Mike Randleman

Oct 16, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Brooks Koepka tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the CJ Cup golf tournament at Shadow Creek Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Brooks Koepka tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the CJ Cup golf tournament at Shadow Creek Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 25, 2020; Thousand Oaks, California, USA; Lanto Griffin hits out of the bunker on the 11th hole during the Final round of the Zozo Championship golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2020; Thousand Oaks, California, USA; Lanto Griffin hits out of the bunker on the 11th hole during the Final round of the Zozo Championship golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Lanto Griffin is rounding into good form heading into his Houston Open title defense. He’ll have to try to repeat at a new course, Memorial Park.

Griffin fired 66-74-65-69 to win by one over Mark Hubbard and Scott Harrington at Golf Club of Houston. It was one of the better stories to come from last season.

The 32-year-old Californian was very close to quitting the game in recent years due to low funds and little success in the minor leagues. Griffin broke through in 2019 on the Korn Ferry Tour. He won the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail Championship that April to lock up his PGA Tour card.

That stood to be his biggest win for just six months until he prevailed in Texas. Griffin rode that victory all the way to a Tour Championship appearance.

Along with his win, Griffin had 13 more top-25s in 2019-2020.

The former VCU Ram is off to a nice start in the new wraparound season. He finished top 50 at the U.S. Open. In his last two starts, Griffin posted T-7th at the CJ Cup and T-11th at the Zozo Championship.

Griffin is the bomb and gouge type as he finished 42nd last season in driving distance (302.5) and 145th in driving accuracy (57.16%). He is a solid iron play with positive marks this season and last. Plus, he’s in the top 50 in SG putting this season and last.

If Griffin can keep himself in the moment and not look ahead to his Masters debut next week, he’s got what it takes to win in Houston and lock up a spot at Augusta in 2021.

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