Shell Houston Open 2017 results: Russell Henley claims final Masters spot with comeback win

The field is officially set for the 2017 Masters. And, fittingly enough, it’s one of the host state’s own securing the last spot for the event at the Shell Houston Open.

On a rain-drenched, dreary Sunday that forced tee times to be moved into the morning, Russell Henley turned in one of the PGA Tour’s best finishing rounds of the year to pick up his third career Tour win and clinch Augusta’s final spot. Firing a final round 65, the Georgia alum chased down Sung Kang to clinch the final spot in the tournament. Henley finished the event at 20-under, bolstered to his three-shot win by 10 birdies in his final round.

If you’re looking for exactly how to get back in a golf tournament after starting four strokes back on Sunday, Henley’s hot putter wrote the book on it in Houston.

It’s an emotional win for Henley, who’ll return to Augusta after missing the event for the first time in four seasons last year. He’s a Macon native and an alum of the powerhouse Georgia golf program, attending the tournament several times as a kid. When he takes the course on Thursday, he’ll attempt to end a 30-year drought for Georgians in their biggest sporting event. Larry Mize was the last Georgia-born player to win a Green Jacket in 1987.

But of course, this wasn’t just a qualifying event. Several Masters contenders already in the Augusta field used the Houston event as prep. After a disastrous start on Sunday, Rickie Fowler rallied on the back nine to finish the event in third. Surging young Spaniard Jon Rahm fired a 67 to slide in the back door of the top 10. Both will likely be counted among a second-tier of favorites later this week in east Georgia.

Phil Mickelson had the most discouraging week of the field’s stars, failing to crack 70 in any of his rounds en route to a T-55 finish and pouring a bit of cold water on his fans’ Masters hopes in the process.

Here’s the full results from Golf Club of Houston.