Shell Houston Open Preview, Picks & Analysis

Post by Sports Writer, Derek Clements

THE Shell Houston Open represents the last-chance saloon for anybody with Masters aspirations who has yet to make the field for Augusta. Twelve months ago it was Matt Jones, of Australia, who holed a huge putt on the 18th green to get into a playoff and then holed out from off the green to snatch both the title and his much-coveted invitation for the first major of the season.

It was a dramatic finale to a great tournament. And already this season we have watched one memorable final day after another. Just when you think that the PGA Tour cannot possibly get any better, it leaves you speechless with another mind-boggling conclusion.

Patrick Reed will be desperate to perform in front of a home crowd

We seem to say it every year - the quality of golf keeps improving, as does the gut-wrenching drama. We see unbridled joy (Dustin Johnson), we witness heartbreaking near-misses Sean O'Hair); we see improbable comebacks (Padriag Harrington); we see astonishing young players, mature way beyond their years (Jordan Spieth).

Surprisingly, perhaps, Spieth is teeing up at the Shell Houston Open. When he gets to Augusta, it will be his third successive week in action, having taken the week off after winning the Valspar championship. Texas Open champion Jimmy Walker is following the same schedule. Spieth finished second in Texas, but these two golfers seem to thrive on pressure, where others tend to struggle the week after being in contention.

Spieth and Walker are both from Texas, as is Patrick Reed, who is also playing in Houston.

With everybody's minds on Augusta, the field includes Henrik Stenson, the world number two, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose. Stenson needs to find a way to win, and soon, after so many near-misses of late. The positive is that it proves he is playing really well, but the negative (and it is a big one) is that there is clearly a missing ingredient that is stopping him from crossing the winning line. Like Spieth and Walker, he doesn't seem to expend too much energy or adrenalin when contending, and he would love nothing more than to head off to Augusta with a victory under his belt. What the Swede doesn't want to do is get himself in front and then throw it away again.

Garcia is another who could do with finding some form ahead of The Masters. I also have a feeling in my water that Ryan Moore will be troubling the scorers - he has become a hugely consistent golfer and I am confident he will win this season. This could be his week - Moore is a terrific shotmaker and will take things in his stride if the wind should blow.

Whatever happens, you can be certain that it is going to be another wonderful week. Don't be surprised to see Anirban Lahiri, the Indian with two wins to his credit on the European Tour, surprise a few people by enjoying a top-10 finish. He is full of confidence and is a very good player.

Heaven alone knows what the Americans will do when it comes to pronouncing his name though. It tells you everything you need to know that when Rory McIlroy was playing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational the other week, his name appeared on the leaderboard as "Rory McElroy". He's the world number one for goodness sake! Seve Ballesteros used to seethe at being announced as "Steve". You can be certain that they would never, ever get Tiger Woods' name wrong!

Shell Houston Open Betting picks

To win Patrick Reed 20/1 Would love to deliver in front of a home crowd

Each-way Henrik Stenson 11/1 The Swede is like a machine

Each-way Ryan Moore 50/1 Has already played some great golf this season

Shell Houston Open Fantasy picks

Patrick Reed 20/1 Week in, week out, he is there or thereabouts

Henrik Stenson 11/1 See Patrick Reed above

Ryan Moore 50/1 Must win again soon

Justin Rose 30/1 The Englishman is slowly coming back to his best

Sergio Garcia 30/1 Enjoys playing in Texas, where the wind can blow

Jimmy Walker 14/1 Doesn't have a single weakness

Jordan Spieth 10/1 Another top-10 finish ahead of Augusta would do him nicely

Matt Jones 50/1 Will have great memories from last year

Matt Kuchar 24/1 Should have won in 2014, and needs a good week

Phil Mickelson 40/1 Come on Lefty - you MUST be ready for a golf tournament

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