Masters-like conditions draw star-studded field
March 31, 2010
HUMBLE, Texas (AP)—Fred Couples is back on the regular tour this week, joiningstars like Phil Mickelson, resurgent Ernie Els and defending champion Paul Caseyat the Houston Open, an event that’s embraced its niche as the run-up to nextweek’s Masters.
Couples, 50, feels rejuvenated by his success on the seniors Champions Tourand he’s putting as well as he has in a long time.
Couples, who will play a practice round for the Masters with Tiger Woods onMonday, laughs off the notion that he’s one of the favorites at AugustaNational. But he’s definitely one to watch at Redstone, where he has a pair oftop-4 finishes the last two years.
“I’m fading out on the regular tour a little bit,” Couples said, “butthis is a great opportunity for me, because I won the last three times on theChampions Tour. Winning is a lot of fun, and so far, this year has been a lot offun.”
Els is riding a streak of his own, with victories in his last two starts. Hecan become the first player to win three in a row since Woods won five straightin 2008.
Els isn’t totally comfortable with his game, though, after nearly lettinglast week’s win at Bay Hill slip away. He led by five shots with six holes lefton Sunday, then hit two shots into the water. Rain forced a suspension, and Elshad to return on Monday to make four tense pars and win.
He said his alignment is “out of whack” and he’s working with swing coachButch Harmon this week to iron out the kinks.
“I’ve been working on that a little bit the last couple of days and I’djust like to have it under pressure,” Els said. “Obviously, next week, you’vegot to do everything right under the biggest pressure you’re ever going tofind.”
Mickelson is another one of 30 players in Houston who’s already qualifiedfor the Masters. Mickelson is seeking his first win of the year, but like Els,he’s more focused on fine-tuning his game for the season’s first major.
“My game this year hasn’t been what I expected,” said Mickelson, who tiedfor 30th at Bay Hill last week. “I keep saying it doesn’t feel far off. Ihaven’t put together the scores, and I think this week in Houston is animportant week for me because I feel like my game has been pretty close.”
The players are once again raving about the condition of The TournamentCourse at Redstone. Organizers have lured another top-notch field by spreadingthe word that the course is set up to simulate the conditions at AugustaNational, from the fast greens and runoff areas to the light rough and thefairways mowed toward the tee.
“I think it’s an advantage for the players who play here going into nextweek,” Mickelson said. “The ball will react certain ways out of the first cutof rough and fairway, getting adjusted to the speed of the greens—all thatgoes into preparation for next week.”
The Houston Open moved to the week before the Masters in 2007, and theresults don’t fully support the notion that the event is a perfect tuneup.
Mickelson missed the cut in Houston last year, then finished fifth at theMasters. Couples finished fourth in 2008 and third in 2009, but missed the cutat Augusta both years. Casey beat J.B. Holmes on the first playoff hole herelast year to secure his first PGA Tour victory, then said he was disappointedwith a tie for 20th at The Masters.
“I think physically and emotionally, it took a little bit out of me,”Casey said. “If you don’t have everything in place going into a major, thenyou’re going to be found out. I think that showed where I finished at Augustathe following week.”
Inclement weather has become an annual intrusion at the tournament, andthunderstorms are possible on Friday and Saturday this year.
The event has been delayed by bad weather every year since 2006, when itmoved to the Tournament Course from the adjacent members’ course at Redstone.Last year, rain pushed back the start of the tournament by 2 1/2 hours, and highwinds forced the suspension of play later on Thursday.
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