USA TODAY International Edition
SET FOR TEXAS SWING
State’s two events final steps before Masters
The familiar music signaling its annual return highlights commercials that started saturating airwaves two months ago. Players have been fielding more questions about it with each tournament. And reconnaissance trips to Augusta National Golf Club are in full swing.
The Masters is two weeks away.
With anticipation nearing its height and a frigid nation awaiting the warm embrace of the Masters, the last leg on the road to the first major championship of the year is a Texas two- step that began Thursday with the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio and moves next week to the Shell Houston Open.
While Amen Corner, azaleas and the green jacket are on the minds of many, those players in the Texas Open field with secured invitations to the Masters are focusing on matters at hand, however challenging that might be.
“It’s on the back of my mind,” Jim Furyk said. “But I’m not hitting particular shots or playing around this golf course to prepare for Augusta. What I’m really looking for is my game to be in good shape and trying to have a good week this week and play well and feel good and confident about what I’m doing. Then I’ll have a week of preparation for Augusta at home.
“It’s hard to prepare for Augusta without being at Augusta, because there are so many things that are called upon there that you don’t see on any other courses. The Masters is on my mind, but there are no distractions.”
Last year for the first time, the Texas Open took place the week before the Masters.
Furyk, who doesn’t like to take two weeks off before a major, added the tournament to his schedule in 2013.
“This is a good drivers’ course,” Furyk said. “It’s tight. I finished third ( three strokes behind champion Martin Laird), I played well, so that’s why I came back this year.”
Phil Mickelson is playing in the tournament for the first time since 1992. He added it to his schedule last week in hopes that playing both weeks before heading to Augusta will allow him to peak in the Masters.
Zach Johnson is back, too. The 2007 Masters champion won the Texas Open in 2008 and 2009 when it was at La Cantera Golf Club but hasn’t been back since 2010.
He won’t play next week in Houston but doesn’t view this week as a tuneup.
“There’s never really a tuneup,” Johnson said. “At this time of year ( the Masters) does enter your mind. I’m trying not to dwell on it too much, but I think it’s natural. You’ve got to embrace it, and I will really be focused on Augusta next week in my prep week.”
Instead, Johnson will be focused on himself and trying to simplify things.
“I tend to overanalyze at times,” he said. “I’m going to try to play with some freedom and hit shots. I mean, just be athletic and hit shots.”
Rising star Jordan Spieth has caught himself occasionally looking ahead to this stretch of golf that will see him play the two Texas tournaments and then make his Masters debut.
He’s made two trips to Augusta — in October and February — but said he won’t lose sight of what he needs to do the next two weeks, especially considering the Dallas native will have family and friends in the galleries for each event.
“It’s the stretch I’ve been looking forward to since the beginning of the year,” Spieth said. “Obviously the first Masters, but also to start in the home state getting ready for it. And it’s a great way to get confidence, I think, to kind of feel the support of the fans as well as playing on very difficult golf courses, getting your game ready.
“… Physically, with my trainer we work on certain peaks in what we’re doing and that’s around the Masters, and I’m trying to get my swing and the certain shots around the greens that you need at Augusta. ( But) you also need ( those shots) out here because they try to make the grass types as similar as can be, and it’s pure.”