Eleven of the 48 PGA TOUR events are contested on daily fee courses, including this week’s new venue for the Shell Houston Open. But what’s more important is that the driver-free respite is over.

For the second time in three weeks TOUR members try to suppress driver envy. The Tournament Course at Redstone Golf Club isn’t quite as long as its sister course, Redstone Golf Club, which hosted the Shell Houston Open the last three years. But the par-72 Tournament Course at Redstone is still 7,422 yards, making it a 69-foot putt short of Augusta National Golf Club.

“Open Doctor” Rees Jones designed the new tourney venue with an assist from former PGA champion David Toms, who said he hoped he brought, “variety to a golf course in a day and age when everything is about length … with plenty of short shots.”

Toms is right. Four of the 10 par-4 holes are less than 400 yards, unheard of in a day when the 500-yard par-4 is accepted. But plenty of water, sand and other natural inhibitors to scoring should add thinking to the process, which is why the slope rating from the tournament tees is a stout 138. The short 12th hole, a par-4 of 335 yards, will create some scoring chances.

Look for the two finishing holes, long par-4s over 480 yards each, to decide the outcome. Don’t look for two drivers in anyone’s bag. One that goes long and straight should do fine.

Last year: Vijay Singh successfully defended his title and won for the third time in four years by closing with a bogey-free 2-under-par 70 and beating John Daly with a par on the first sudden death playoff hole. Daly had birdied the final two holes for a 67 to match Singh at 13-under 275, but then drove into the water on the extra hole to open the door for Singh’s 26th PGA TOUR title.

How he did it: Precision paid off here more than pyrotechnics. Singh, who threw an early haymaker with an opening 64, tying the course record, converted just 16 birdies. That wasn’t even among the top 10 for the week, but he suffered just three bogeys over 72 holes. Meanwhile, Singh ranked in the top 10 in driving distance and accuracy and greens in regulation. That usually keeps you in the ballgame.

Strange but true: If short game is so important, why does the top 20 on the PGA TOUR in scrambling (through the Masters) include just one champion -- Stephen Ames, winner of THE PLAYERS Championship?

True but not so strange: Vijay Singh averaged a stout 311 yards off the tee last year and still ranked only fifth in driving distance for the week.

If the course could talk: “Built by this era’s ‘Open Doctor’ I’m asking for terrific driving and highly accurate approaches. Other than that, I’m easy.”

Worth knowing:

• Vijay Singh has a chance to accomplish a feat that’s been done by only three other PGA TOUR players in the last 25 years -- win a tournament three straight times, joining Tiger Woods (The Memorial ), Stuart Appleby (Mercedes Championships). Singh would be the first to do it on a different golf course, however.

• Singh, who leads the PGA TOUR with eight victories in the AstraZeneca Charity Challenge (awarded to a tournament’s third-round leader), also goes for his fourth win in Houston in five years, and on three different courses. He is 58-under par combined in his last four starts there.

John Daly will be looking a fourth straight top-10 finish in Houston. (Grayson/WireImage)

• John Daly might not like the move next door to the Tournament Course at Redstone; he has finished in the top-10 three straight years since the Shell Houston Open moved to Redstone Golf Club, the only site he has accomplished such a feat of consistency in his career.

• Ian Leggatt can’t get his left side right. Playing on a major medical extension and limited to 12 events this year as he recovers from carpal tunnel syndrome in his left wrist, Leggatt withdrew prior to the start of the Verizon Heritage because of an ingrown hangnail on one of the fingers on his left hand.

• Houston resident Jeff Maggert has five top-10 finishes at the Shell Houston Open, with three runner-up finishes at his home course, the TPC Woodlands. He hasn’t minded the move to Redstone Golf Club, however, finishing in the top seven twice in three years.

• Ben Crenshaw, 54, on the heels of his fine play in the Masters, has decided to give it a go in another PGA TOUR event at another one of his favorites, the Bank of America Colonial.

TOUR Insider’s strength of field index: The whole group better be strong on this layout -- and they are. They are skilled, too. 7.3.

TI’s power ranking for the Shell Houston Open: 1. Vijay Singh, 2. John Daly, 3. Lucas Glover, 5. Mike Weir.

Parting shot: “After four days here (at Augusta National Golf Club) you have to put your feet up a few days and shut down your mind. It might take more than a few days.” -- Former Masters champion Larry Mize.