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Russell Henley Wins Shell Houston Open

For two days, the 2017 Masters field dipped to 93. Tiger Woods withdrew on Friday, but there was still one spot up for grabs should somebody who was not already qualified win the Shell Houston Open on Sunday. That somebody turned out to be Russell Henley, who never shot a score in the 70s all week and closed with a 7-under 65.
 
Henley finished at 20 under on the week and defeated Sung Kang by three strokes after trailing him by four to start the final round.
 
Henley made 10 birdies on Sunday and finished first in the field for the week in putting. He even had a chance at the final hole to set the all-time PGA Tour record for feet of putts made in a single event, per the broadcast.
 
He gained two or more strokes per round on the field with his flat stick in all four rounds.
 
Kang led at the halfway point of the tournament after opening with a 65-63, but Henley’s 69-65 on the weekend was too much.
 
For Henley, this is his third PGA Tour win and means he will play in his fourth Masters after missing the 2016 edition. 
 
Rickie Fowler had an up-and-down week. The up was really up. He shot 64-67 on Thursday and Saturday, but then he shot 71-70 on Friday and Sunday. He finished T3 behind Henley and Kang, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. 
Only two golfers in the last 60 years have won the week before the Masters and gone on to win it. Fowler’s pal Justin Thomas noted recently how much winning takes out of you and how hard it is to recover.
 
Fowler finished No. 1 in the field in strokes gained tee to green and No. 19 in putting. 
 
Jordan Spieth missed the cut after a poor 77 on Friday. He was not too concerned about the outcome, and he shouldn’t be. Last time he missed the cut here (2014), Spieth went on to finish T2 at the Masters the following week. 
 
Now Fowler is primed for Augusta National and hungry to follow up a strong showing in Houston.

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