Houston Open offers last Masters tune-up

A roster of Masters hopefuls will squeeze in one last tune-up before the year's first major when they tee it up at the Houston Open starting on Thursday.

Resurgent South African Ernie Els, who has won his last two events after a two year victory drought, is among the contenders, along with Phil Mickelson and defending champion Paul Casey of England.

So is Fred Couples, a former Masters champion who has won three straight starts on the Champions Tour and hopes to keep up that form this week and again at Augusta National.

"I'm fading out on the regular tour a little bit," Couples said. "But this is a great opportunity for me, because I won the last three times on the Champions Tour. Winning is a lot of fun, and so far, this year has been a lot of fun."

Els can become the first player to win three straight starts on the US tour since Tiger Woods won five in a row in 2008.

Despite his victories, Els says he has some work to do. He led by five shots with six holes to play last Sunday at Bay Hill but saw that comfortable cushion dwindle as he hit two shots into the water.

He eventually came through in a rain-delayed final round, but says his alignment is "out of whack".

He's working with coach Butch Harmon here in a bid to get everything sorted out by the time he arrives at Augusta.

"I've been working on that a little bit the last couple of days and I'd just like to have it under pressure," Els said. "Obviously, next week, you've got to do everything right under the biggest pressure you're ever going to find."

Mickelson is in search of his first title of the year, but like Els he's got Georgia on his mind.

"My game this year hasn't been what I expected," said Mickelson, who tied for 30th at Bay Hill last week. "I keep saying it doesn't feel far off. I haven't put together the scores, and I think this week in Houston is an important week for me because I feel like my game has been pretty close."

Organizers again drew a strong field by setting up the Tournament Course at Redstone to simulate the fast greens and light rough found at the Masters.

"I think it's an advantage for the players who play here going into next week," Mickelson said. "The ball will react certain ways out of the first cut of rough and fairway, getting adjusted to the speed of the greens - all that goes into preparation for next week."

However, since the tournament moved to the before the Masters in 2007, the results don't necessarily back up the idea that the Houston Open is the ideal warm-up.

Last year Casey beat JB Holmes in a playoff in Houston but was tied for 20th at the Masters.

"I think physically and emotionally, it took a little bit out of me," Casey said of his playoff victory in Texas. "If you don't have everything in place going into a major, then you're going to be found out. I think that showed where I finished at Augusta the following week."