Golf Houston Club

Congratulations to J.B. Holmes on this weeks victory!  He won a three way playoff against Jordan Spieth and Johnson Wagner.  The power hitter was not only long, but very accurate off the tee.  J.B. won the Shell Houston Open by hitting each fairway in the playoff, that put a lot of pressure on his opponents.  He hits it so long that he had very manageable shorter irons into the 18th.  His aggressive line down the left side of the fairway afforded him the ability to be a bit more courageous on his second shots to a pin sitting almost in the water.  The other players hit their second shots into either the bunker, right of the green, or front right portion of the green, avoiding the water at all costs.  Wagner three putted from the front right portion of the green to ultimately give Holmes the championship, but this playoff was won off the tee with exceptional positioning.

I think the biggest stories of the week came from the near misses.  Austin Cook had the week of his life.  He went from playing a mini tour event to Monday qualifying for a PGA Tour event, to making the cut, to being paired with Phil Mickelson, to beating him by five shots on Saturday, to almost winning the event and receiving a two year exemption on tour, while stamping a trip to the Masters.  This would have been the first time someone has accomplished this feat since 1986! He wasn't the only one making the best out of his opportunity.  Kelvin Day also Monday qualified and finished tied for 6th at 11 under par.  Wagner went from shooting 87 last week to finishing tied for second place at -16, on a sponsors exemption.  Then, there's Jordan Spieth, the boy wonder.  Jordan is showing unbelievable consistency with a victory and two second place finishes in the last three tournaments.  He has to be one of the favorites going into the Masters.