PGA Tour heads west for Shell Houston Open

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2005 Shell Houston Open | Preview | 20 Apr 2005

After seven events on the East Coast, the USPGA Tour heads west to Houston this week for the Shell Houston Open at the Redstone Golf Club in Humble in Texas. While the event is one of the time honoured events on the USPGA Tour, this will be just the third time it has been played at the Peter Jacobsen/Jim Hardy designed layout. In the twenty eight years prior, the event was played at the Woodlands Country Club (10 years) then the TPC at Woodlands (18 years) before moving here to Redstone in 2003.

The course was always going to be somewhat of a stop gap measure as the adjacent Rees Jones/David Toms course was built as a more permanent venue for the event. With the reaction to the Jacobsen layout favourable, it was decided to delay the move until 2006 to allow the new venue a little more time to establish. TifEagle greens and TifSport fairways feature in the 7500 yard layout.

The first two winners at Redstone have been Fred Couples and Vijay Singh. Couples is not here this week but Singh will line up as the hot favourite given his world ranking and that he has won and placed 9th in his two attempts here. It appears to be a course that favours the longer hitters but when Scott Hoch finished runner up last year he defied logic somewhat given his lowly status in driving distance stats. So while length will be an asset around Redstone it is not the be all and end all.

Singh continues with his amazing consistency with four top fives in his last five starts. He has not won since Hawaii but keeps giving himself chances and can be expected to be right in the mix here on Sunday.

David Toms would not, on paper at least, appear to have the type of game to succeed around here but it should be remembered that he has won on long courses and seems to play well at this time of the year. He did not play here last year and was 49th in 2003 hardly inspiring confidence although he was going well early in that event. After a good run earlier his last two events have been very ordinary missing the cut at Augusta at his most recent start.

Darren Clarke is here but he will have to overcome a soul destroying performance on Sunday at Hilton Head. He played so well through much of the week suggesting he is in good form but his confidence may be rattled somewhat by his shaky finish. Only Peter Lonard did beat him though and he had been playing well prior. He was second in this event the last time it was played at the TPC at Woodlands but has not played on this course.

Stephen Ames appears to be back on track again after a shaky start to the season. He was fourth here last year but missed the cut in 2003. When he is good he is very good and it may just be that his 6th place last week will have him contending here.

Geoff Ogilvy, now with the self belief that a win in Tucson will have given him is likely to do well on a golf course on which he has recorded two top tens. He has not played quite so well in the weeks following the win (Honda apart) but his style of game should suit here once again.

Rod Pampling comes off a 6th place last week and an incredible debut 5th at Augusta. He hasn’t exactly set the world on fire here the last two years – although he did lead early last year – but he is playing so well now that he might start well and go on with it.

Chad Campbell comes off a 17th place at Augusta but his form prior has been somewhat inconsistent this season. He was 21st here at his only start at Redstone in 2003 but as one of the leading players here this week he deserves respect.

Joe Ogilvie seems to be closing in on his first USPGA Tour win. He has been solid if not spectacular this season and he was close to the lead last year before a last round 76. He is a much more established player now and a good showing would not surprise.

Tim Herron has played well enough in his last two starts to indicate he is building to something even better. He was 11th here last year and with an 11th placing at the Masters and a 6th placing at the Players, that form is good enough to give him a chance here.

Jose Maria Olazabal is here and despite an unusual Masters where he missed the cut for the only the third time in 17 starts as a professional he should be considered. He played well leading into Augusta and despite this being a long golf course it should be remembered that he did win at Torrey Pines a few years back when most felt a course like that would be beyond him. He played well last week at Hilton Head and may just provide some value at longer odds.

The other Australasians include Steve Elkington, Stephen Leaney, Scott Hend, John Senden, Brendan Jones, Steve Allan, Craig Perks, Paul Gow, Gavin Coles, Bradley Hughes and Michael Long.

The event carries prizemoney of US$5 million.