Round 1, Shell Houston Open

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Apr. 3, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff

First-round play in the Shell Houston Open is set to resume at 8 a.m. local time. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
Through 8 holes		Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Charles Howell III Mickelson is looking to make it two wins in as many starts, but got off to a bumpy beginning. Track 'em
Through 6 holes		Johnson Wagner, Daniel Chopra, Chad Campbell Defending champ Wagner had three pars, two birdies and a bogey in his limited action on Thursday. Track 'em
10:35 am ET No. 1		Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson Former winner Singh, still recovering from a knee injury, tees it up with stars Garcia and Stenson. Track 'em

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Brett Wright discusses Thursday's play and looks ahead:

All the players in the field Thursday were affected by the most unusual delay, and ultimate stoppage of play, I have ever witnessed in all my years around the PGA TOUR. The sun was shining and the temperature was nice and warm, but the culprit was intense wind gusting up to 45 miles per hour. Because the greens at the Redstone Golf Club are cut tight to simulate the conditions at the Masters next week, many players, including Phil Mickelson and Justin Leonard, were having trouble with the golf ball moving up to six inches on the green before the players could address their putts.

Friday's forecast

Mostly sunny
Temp: 77 high/57 low
A beautiful spring day, especially compared to Thursday. Winds from the east at 5 to 10 mph.

I asked former British Open Champion Ben Curtis, who has yet to hit a shot in this event, if the situation would have been different if the greens were not so super-fast. He said "Probably not." But who can predict weather? All the players, including Curtis, have raved about the overall condition of the Redstone layout.

Lee Westwood started early and completed nine holes in 4 under par with birdies at Nos. 1, 2, 7 and 9. Westwood had a birdie attempt on the par-4 10th hole to move to 5 under par. Just as he addressed his putt, the air horn sounded all around the golf course to indicate the suspension of play.

Westwood wasn't sure if he had the option to finish the hole or had to wait until play resumed. A minute later, a PGA TOUR official drove up to explain the situation. The good-natured Westwood said, "You mean I can finish this hole, although you have deemed the conditions unplayable?" He continued his good humor later when he told me that, "Even I can make the decision to wait until the wind has died down and the greens have been cut to run at that putt."

It will be an early start for players on Friday as they have to be in position by 8:00 a.m. and the PGA TOUR officials will try to get in the first round and as much of the second round as possible before nightfall.

Stat of the day

Vijay Singh came into the Shell Houston Open looking for his first win of the 2009 season. Singh is a three-time winner in Houston, most recently in 2005, but hasn't played the last two years.

NOTEWORTHY NUGGETS:
• Before Thursday, the last time play was suspended due to high winds during play was Round 4 of the 2007 Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head, S.C. Boo Weekley was the eventual winner that week.

• England's Lee Westwood, playing in the third group of the day, is 4 under through nine holes with birdies at 1, 2, 7 and 9. Westwood holds a two-stroke advantage over eight players -- all Americans, except for Charlie Wi (South Korea), who resides in California. No European has ever won the Shell Houston Open.

• U.S. Presidents Cup Captain Fred Couples is 1 under through seven holes. The University of Houston graduate is trying to add to his already-impressive record at the Shell Houston Open. After missing the cut here in his first start (1981), Couples has made 15 consecutive cuts, with five top-10s, including an emotional win in 2003.

• The Shell Houston Open has had 12 international champions, winning a total of 16 tournaments since 1946. A total of 39 players from 16 different countries (excluding the USA) will tee it up this week. Winners at the Shell Houston Open have hailed from Argentina, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa, but none from Europe.

• Six Australians have won the Shell Houston Open eight times with Bruce Crampton and Stuart Appleby winning twice. There are 14 Australians in the field this week.

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry updates action from Thursday's play in the Shell Houston Open and previews what to watch for on Friday. Watch it
	Defending champ reflects Defending champion Johnson Wagner spoke of his win at the 2008 Shell Houston Open as he set off to defend his title. Watch it
	Westwood takes the lead Lee Westwood fired a 4-under 32 on the front nine before play was suspended due to windy conditions Thursday, then spoke to the media. Watch it