With the Masters one week away, the Shell Houston Open provides a final chance to fine tune before heading to Augusta. That process got off to a good start for quite a few players who are among the favorites to come away with the green jacket next week. Bill Haas and Charley Hoffman are tied for the first-round lead at 7-under, topping a loaded leaderboard with Keegan Bradley, Matt Kuchar, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson among the players off to a good start.
Shell Houston Open 2014: Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman lead, Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley in the mix
It was a good day for some of the best in the world at the Golf Club of Houston on Thursday. Phil Mickelson got off to a solid start with a bogey free opening round.
Maddie Meyer
A world without Tiger
Mickelson shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday, finishing the round with four birdies and 14 pars. He was solid and steady, managing to make his way around the track without dropping a shot. The result was a positive one for Mickelson, who was forced to withdraw last week due to a pulled muscle. He made it through the first round without issue, a fact that bodes well for his chances at Augusta next week.
“I feel a lot better,” Mickelson said, via PGATour.com. “I travel with a light therapy machine, and I got on it right away, and I think that made a world of difference as far as expediting the healing process to where it doesn’t hurt anymore. It just feels sore like I was working out, as opposed to kind of a painful experience.”
The muscle injury isn’t entirely a non-issue. Mickelson stretched between shots on occasion and said he did still feel some soreness. Barring a setback during the next three days, however, it doesn’t appear to be anything that will keep him out of the Masters.
In addition to Mickelson, there are several notable names near the top of the leaderboard. Bradley and Kuchar both opened with rounds of 66 and are one off the lead. Garcia and Charl Schwartzel are 5-under after shooting 67s while Els, Webb Simpson and Angel Cabrera are among the players tied for 19th with Mickelson at 4-under. They are all chasing Haas and Hoffman, who each opened with rounds of 65.
The opening 18 holes weren’t kind to all of the big names. Dustin Johnson had major issues in the first round. He finished the round with three double bogeys and an eight on the par-4 sixth hole. Even with four birdies, he still shot an 80 and sits in last place at 8-over. Johnson withdrew from the tournament following the round.
Here is a complete look at the leaderboard following the first round:
Place | Player | Score | 1st Round |
T1 | Bill Haas | -7 | 65 |
T1 | Charley Hoffman | -7 | 65 |
T3 | Keegan Bradley | -6 | 66 |
T3 | Matt Kuchar | -6 | 66 |
T3 | J.B. Holmes | -6 | 66 |
T3 | Erik Compton | -6 | 66 |
T3 | Jim Renner | -6 | 66 |
T8 | Stewart Cink | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Michael Thompson | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Ben Curtis | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Camilo Villegas | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Justin Hicks | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Sergio Garcia | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Charl Schwartzel | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Jhonattan Vegas | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Jason Gore | -5 | 67 |
T8 | Shawn Stefani | -5 | 67 |
T18 | Joe Ogilvie | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Webb Simpson | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Phil Mickelson | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Ernie Els | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Chris Kirk | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Jonathan Byrd | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Angel Cabrera | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Retief Goosen | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Chris Stroud | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Andrew Loupe | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Michael Putnam | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Matt Jones | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Cameron Tringale | -4 | 68 |
T18 | John Rollins | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Bryce Molder | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Steve Stricker | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Davis Love III | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Martin Flores | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Freddie Jacobson | -4 | 68 |
T18 | Brice Garnett | -4 | 68 |
T38 | Brendan Steele | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Greg Chalmers | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Paul Goydos | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Ryo Ishikawa | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Padraig Harrington | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Kyle Stanley | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Charlie Beljan | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Chad Collins | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Peter Uihlein | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Matteo Manassero | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Brendon Todd | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Trevor Immelman | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Troy Matteson | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Jeff Maggert | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Hunter Mahan | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Carl Pettersson | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Sean O'Hair | -3 | 69 |
T38 | D.H. Lee | -3 | 69 |
T38 | David Lingmerth | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Ben Martin | -3 | 69 |
T38 | Jon Curran | -3 | 69 |
T59 | Scott Langley | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Ricky Barnes | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Robert Allenby | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Derek Ernst | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Rickie Fowler | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Brian Harman | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Ben Crane | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Ryan Palmer | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Rory McIlroy | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Ian Poulter | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Kevin Stadler | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Jordan Spieth | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Justin Leonard | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Lee Westwood | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Graham Delaet | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Heath Slocum | -2 | 70 |
T59 | Hudson Swafford | -2 | 70 |
T76 | Brendon de Jonge | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Kevin Chappell | -1 | 71 |
T76 | James Hahn | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Steven Bowditch | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Henrik Stenson | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Jimmy Walker | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Brian Gay | -1 | 71 |
T76 | David Toms | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Peter Hanson | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Tyrone van Aswegen | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Kevin Kisner | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Nicholas Thompson | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Roberto Castro | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Luke Donald | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Mike Weir | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Tommy Gainey | -1 | 71 |
T76 | John Huh | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Martin Kaymer | -1 | 71 |
T76 | D.A. Points | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Harrison Frazar | -1 | 71 |
T76 | Ted Potter, Jr. | -1 | 71 |
T97 | Aaron Baddeley | E | 72 |
T97 | Josh Teater | E | 72 |
T97 | Louis Oosthuizen | E | 72 |
T97 | J.J. Henry | E | 72 |
T97 | Tim Clark | E | 72 |
T97 | Sang-Moon Bae | E | 72 |
T97 | Andres Romero | E | 72 |
T97 | Brian Stuard | E | 72 |
T97 | John Mallinger | E | 72 |
T97 | Daniel Summerhays | E | 72 |
T97 | Charlie Wi | E | 72 |
T97 | Seung-yul Noh | E | 72 |
T97 | Charles Howell III | E | 72 |
T97 | Y.E. Yang | E | 72 |
T97 | Stephen Ames | E | 72 |
T97 | Jim Herman | E | 72 |
T97 | John Peterson | E | 72 |
T114 | Jason Kokrak | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Morgan Hoffmann | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Russell Henley | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Kevin Streelman | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Paul Casey | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Jeff Overton | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Stuart Appleby | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Richard Lee | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Branden Grace | 1 | 73 |
T114 | Robert Gates | 1 | 73 |
T124 | Brian Davis | 2 | 74 |
T124 | John Merrick | 2 | 74 |
T124 | Robert Garrigus | 2 | 74 |
T124 | Jamie Lovemark | 2 | 74 |
T124 | James Driscoll | 2 | 74 |
T124 | Bubba Dickerson | 2 | 74 |
T124 | Scott Gardiner | 2 | 74 |
T131 | Bo Van Pelt | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Scott Stallings | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Johnson Wagner | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Lucas Glover | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Darren Clarke | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Jonas Blixt | 3 | 75 |
T131 | David Hearn | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Luke Guthrie | 3 | 75 |
T131 | Andrew Putnam | 3 | 75 |
T140 | Nicolas Colsaerts | 4 | 76 |
T140 | Geoff Ogilvy | 4 | 76 |
T140 | Ted Purdy | 4 | 76 |
143 | Brad Lardon | 6 | 78 |
WD | Dustin Johnson | 8 | 80 |
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