The Shell Houston Open is the last stop before Augusta National and 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel has the right ingredients to make magic.
The 31-year-old has a solid record at the Golf Club of Houston, where he’s made five cuts in the last seven years, including a share of third in 2010.
His recent victory at the Tshwane Open was his 11th European Tour triumph and he followed it with PGA Tour success at the Valspar Championship a month later.
Schwartzel was 42nd in at the Shell Houston Open in 2015 and 19th the year before that, but his form going into the week wasn’t nearly as strong as it is this season. He’s got final adjustments to make before he heads to Augusta National.
Also a favourite for the tournament is Louis Oosthuizen, who this week rose to 11th in the World Ranking after finishing second at the WGC-Dell Match Play.
The 2010 Open Champion has come agonisingly close to a green jacket before and will look to continue his run of good form through this week in Houston and beyond.
Web.com Tour graduates Tyrone van Aswegen and Dawie van der Walt will also be in the field this week, hoping for a last-ditch victory that will take them to Augusta.
It’s all-in at this stage of the season, and with the year’s first major looming it’s an important one for Schwartzel and company.
