LEE WESTWOOD will make his 56th attempt to win a Major next week and for the fourth year running is warming up at the Shell Houston Open. There is a difference this time, though. He did not stop at Augusta en route to Texas.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are among those who like to start their US Masters preparations early, but Westwood has changed his mind on that.
“I didn’t think it was that necessary,” the 38-year-old world number three said. “It’s a nice place to go and soak up the atmosphere with nobody there and get some work done, but the course isn’t really reflective of how it’s going to be on Thursday morning next week. It changes so much in three days. I just decided not to this year and thought the extra couple of days at home would do me more good.”
Runner-up to Mickelson at Augusta two years ago, Westwood has not only seen Ryder Cup team-mates Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke all win majors since then, but also two more stablemates in Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
He has had six top-three finishes in the past four seasons and added: “I think it proves I’m capable of winning Major championships. It makes me look forward to Major championships a lot more than I used to. I feel like my game is better equipped to tackle Major championship golf courses.
“You really should go into it treating it like just another tournament. We have plenty of them and Major championships are no different. Some of the tests are a little bit more severe – next week’s greens will be faster than most we putt on all year – but I feel like I’ve got a good enough game to cope with those things.”
Clarke, McDowell, Mickelson, Paul Casey and Pádraig Harrington are also in this week’s field and so is Ernie Els, who has to win to qualify for the Masters.
McDowell, of course, would have won last weekend but for the return to form of Woods at Bay Hill.
“I’m very excited with my game,” the 2010 US Open champion said. “Every facet of my game is in decent shape and my spirits are high.”
Harrington has dropped to 93rd in the world, but two weeks ago began the Transitions Championship with a 61, the lowest score of his career. Not breaking 70 in any of the other three rounds and slipping from first to 20th was disappointing, but with a seventh place at Pebble Beach early last month there are at least encouraging signs for the Dubliner.
Clarke has not had a top-10 finish since he won the British Open at Sandwich, while Casey – winner in Houston three years ago – is playing only his third event since dislocating his shoulder snowboarding on Christmas Eve.
Mickelson is the defending champion, but after a three-stroke victory last year he then came only 27th at Augusta.
However, the left-hander did win the week before triumphing at the Masters in 2006.
HOUSTON OPEN
Course: Redstone Golf Club, Texas.
Length: 7,457 yards.
Par: 72.
Players: 144
Prize money: $6 million (€4.5m). Winner gets $1.026 million (€770,000)
Course layout: The Houston Open has been contested on Redstone's Tournament Course since 2006. The layout is forgiving for those who stray off the tee, but the closer you get to the hole, the more difficult things become. The greens, which lie on heavily sloped banks, are extremely fast, a trait which will appeal to players readying themselves for Augusta next week. The par-four 18th, measuring 488 yards, is the hardest on the course. If things are tight on Sunday, it will provide plenty of drama.
Course would suit: A short-game specialist.
Defending champion: Phil Mickelson.
Irish in the field: Pádraig Harrington (eighth behind Mickelson last year), Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke (tournament second in 2002, fourth in 2005).
On TV: Sky Sports 3 from 8pm.
