HOUSTON – Defending champion Carlos Ortiz, fresh off a runner-up finish last week in his native Mexico, has withdrawn from the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open. Ortiz earned his first PGA TOUR victory last year in Houston, making birdie on the final hole to beat Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama by two shots. Ortiz has been struggling with a shoulder injury, however, that also forced him to withdraw after two rounds of last month’s ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. “Unfortunately, I’ve been battling a left shoulder injury since Japan and after meeting with my doctors this morning, it was recommended that I take the rest of the season off to recover,” Ortiz said. “This is incredibly disappointing to me as I was looking forward to defending my first PGA TOUR title in Texas, my second home. I’m honored to be a champion of this event and I look forward to returning next year.” His runner-up finish at last week’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba was his best showing since the win. He shot four rounds of 67 or better at Mayakoba to finish alone in second, four shots behind winner Viktor Hovland. Mayakoba is one of the shorter courses on the PGA TOUR, and that allowed Ortiz to stay in contention despite dealing with the injury. “A little sore, it’s still bothering a little bit. Keep grinding,” he said. “(Mayakoba) is a good golf course to kind of bunt it around, that’s what I did today and it worked out perfect.” The renovated Memorial Park, which is in its second year hosting the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open, is nearly 400 yards longer than last week’s venue, though. Playing more than 7,400 yards, it was the second-longest par-70 used on the PGA TOUR last season. Only Winged Foot Golf Club, the venue for the 2020 U.S. Open, was longer. Memorial Park also was the eighth-toughest course used on TOUR last season, in relation to par. Ortiz handled the unique Tom Doak design better than anyone. An injury will keep him from defending that title, however.
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