So, it appears the mythical Texas Slam is safe for another year. Nobody has ever done it. Not Nelson, not Hogan, not Snead, not Palmer. Nary a player has ever managed to win all four PGA TOUR stops in Texas — Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.

To date 12 players have won three of the four legs. Only two of them still regularly play the PGA TOUR — 2007 Shell Houston Open champion Adam Scott and 2011 winner Phil Mickelson. The other 10 are either Champions Tour regulars, retired or deceased.

Unfortunately, 2013 Masters champion Scott, who only lacks a title at Colonial to complete the slam, is not in the field this week as the PGA TOUR stops in Fort Worth for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Mickelson lacks a win in San Antonio but chose not to play this year because of his schedule.

However, one other player with three legs of the slam on his resumé is teeing it up at Colonial. Corey Pavin, 1983 Shell Houston Open titleholder who now plays the Champions Tour, is in the field. He lacks a victory at the HP Byron Nelson Classic, which was won last week by Sang-Moon Bae.

The other players who have won three legs and the victory they lack include: Ben Crenshaw (Houston), Bruce Devlin (San Antonio), Roberto DeVicenzo (San Antonio), Ben Hogan (Houston), Byron Nelson (Fort Worth),  Arnold Palmer (Dallas), Sam Snead (Houston), Bruce Crampton (Dallas) and Mike Souchak (Dallas). Eleven players have won two of the four legs, including current PGA TOUR players Rory Sabatini and Vijay Singh, who are entered at Fort Worth and need to add a win at Hogan’s Alley to join the players with three legs to their credit.

Jeff Maggert’s finish at the 2013 PLAYERS Championship all but assured him retaining his PGA TOUR card for 2014.

Back in February Jeff Maggert, who had just turned 49, devoted time to do an interview with Fox Sports Southwest for a half-hour pre-tournament Shell Houston Open preview show. He surprised interviewer Patti Smith by mentioning that he would like to continue to play the PGA TOUR after turning 50.

Maggert all but wrapped up exempt status for 2014 thanks to his T2 finish in The PLAYERS Championship. The Texas Aggie banked $709,333, pushing his earnings for the year to $809,499. If he did not make another dime this year his winnings should put him comfortably within the Top 125, the cutoff for full-time playing status.

Looking back over the last four years the player who finished 125 on the money list earned: $647,510 (2012), $668,166 (2011), $786,977 (2010) and $662,682 (2009). Only Martin Laird’s 125th place finish with $852,752 in 2008 surpasses Maggert’s current total. Going back to 2003, only one player who finished 125th cracked the $700,000 barrier.

So it is a good indication that Maggert will still be trying to “make putts” on the PGA TOUR in 2014. Should Maggert tee it up at the Shell Houston Open the week of March 31-April 6, it will mark his 26th SHO appearance, equaling the mark established by John Mahaffey. It would be Maggert’s 25th consecutive Shell Houston Open start.

The Shell Houston Open had its share of touring pros entering the winner’s circle for the first time from 1990-94.

Five consecutive first-time winners claimed titles in Houston. Tony Sills (1990) beat Gil Morgan in a playoff. Fulton Allem (1991) won in a rescheduled fall event after the spring tournament was washed out by torrential rain. Fred Funk (1992) rode a tournament and course record 10-under-par 62 to victory. Jim McGovern (1993) claimed the last rain-shortened 54-hole event in tournament history and rookie Mike Heinen (1994) triumphed over a strong field of veterans.

This pales, however, compared to the string of first-time winners in 2013. Seven players have hoisted trophies for the first time on the PGA TOUR to date. They are Russell Henley (Sony Hawaiian Open), John Merrick (Northern Trust Open), Michael Thompson (Honda Classic), Scott Brown (Puerto Rico Open), Kevin Streelman (Tampa Bay Championship), Billy Horschel (Zurich Classic of New Orleans) and Derek Ernst (Wells Fargo Championship).

Shell Houston Open winner D. A. Points has jumped to No. 48 in the World Golf Rankings.

D. A. Points, 2013 Shell Houston Open champion, underscored his March 31 victory at Redstone Golf Club — Tournament Course with a runner-up finish in New Orleans at the Zurich Classic.

The second-place finish behind Billy Horschel elevated Points to No. 48 in the World Golf Rankings. Points was ranked No. 195 before he won the Shell Houston Open.

For the record Points carded rounds of 66-68-70-65 on the TPC Louisiana for a 19-under-par 269 total, forcing Horschel to ram home a 27-foot birdie putt on the final hole to earn his first PGA TOUR victory. Horschel carded a final-round 64, equaling the course record. He has been tabbed the hottest player on the PGA TOUR with a tour-leading 23 consecutive cuts and a T2 (Shell Houston Open), T3 (Valero Texas Open), plus T9 (RBC Heritage) and T10 (Humana Challenge).

“When a player goes out and shoots 8 under and birdies the last hole to win, hats off to Billy,” said Points, who had a 65. “He’s played great all year. He was one shot shy of me at Houston and I’m a shot shy of him here. It’s just the way it goes.”

There were also other Shell Houston Open-related story lines. Open. Lucas Glover, the former Dick Harmon student and loyal participant in the Shell Houston Open, had the third round lead and finished T4 with Bobby Gates of The Woodlands at -15. This was Glover’s best finish since a victory at the 2011 Well Fargo Championship. He suffered a body surfing injury before the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, which basically ruined the 2012 season for him.  Gates’ T4 at New Orleans was the best-ever PGA TOUR finish for the Texas Aggie.

Adam Scott, 2007 Shell Houston Open winner, became the 10th former SHO champion to win The Masters Tournament. Scott defeated Argentina’s Angel Cabrera on the second playoff hole at Augusta National.

HUMBLE, TX (April 14, 2013) — Adam Scott of Australia became the 10th former Shell Houston Open champion to win The Masters Tournament, defeating Fall Creek homeowner Angel Cabrera of Argentina on the second playoff hole with a birdie.  It was the first-ever Masters victory by an Australian at Augusta National and Scott’s initial major championship. Cabrera was seeking his second green jacket, having prevailed in a playoff in 2009.

The 43-year-old Cabrera also won the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont before winning the 2009 Masters in a playoff with Kenny Perry. With 2007 Shell Houston Open winner Scott’s Masters triumph, 10 former SHO winners have now won a total of 18 Masters titles.

The list of Shell Houston Open winners (SHO victory years listed first, Masters victory year listed second) include:  1952,1959 Jack Burke Jr. 1956; 2003 Fred Couples 1992; 1985 Raymond Floyd 1976; 2011 Phil Mickelson 2004,2006,2010; 1950,1953 Cary Middlecoff 1955; 1946 Byron Nelson 1937,1942; 1957,1966 Arnold Palmer 1958,1960,1962,1964; 1978 Gary Player 1961,1974,1978; and 2002,2004,2005 Vijay Singh 2000.

The 2014 Shell Houston Open will be played the week of March 31-April 6 at Redstone Golf Club — Tournament Course.

For those of you keeping statistics: D. A. (Darren Andrew) Points is the fourth Shell Houston Open winner, not otherwise eligible, to gain an 11th hour invitation to The Masters.

The 2013 SHO champion became the second victor at Redstone Golf Club to get his ticket punched for Augusta National, joining 2008 champion Johnson Wagner. The others were more than two decades ago when the tournament was played in The Woodlands. Mike Sullivan won in 1989 and Tony Sills won in 1990. Both received official invitations over the phone in the SHO media center from Masters officials.

Wagner (T36) and Sullivan (T46) both played all four rounds at Augusta National while Sills missed the 36-hole cut.

HUMBLE, TX (March 31, 2013) — D.A. Points shot 64-71-71-66 for a 16-under-par 272 total to win the rain-delayed 2013 Shell Houston Open at Redstone Golf Club – Tournament Course.

Storms swept through the area and play was suspended at 3:42 PM on Sunday and resumed at 6:30 PM. Points finished one stroke ahead of Sweden’s Henrik Swenson (69-70-68-66) and Billy Horschel (68-72-67-66), who shared second place. Dustin Johnson (69-70-70-65) and Ben Crane (69-70-69-68) shared fourth place at 14-under-par.

Read Ed Fowler’s complete coverage of the final round and Richard Dean’s Notes & Quotes.

Bill Haas will be trying to join his father Jay as a Shell Houston Open winner.

It should be more of a horse race than an Easter Bunny egg hunt on Sunday. With former British Open winner Stewart Cink and 2011 FedExCup champion Bill Haas bunched at the top of the leaderboard at 11-under-par,  the final round of the Shell Houston Open has the makings of a thoroughbred horse race. As it stands 16 players are within two shots of the co-leaders at Redstone Golf Club — Tournament Course.

Cink is trying to enter the winner’s circle for the first time since his 2009 British Open victory. Haas is trying to add another line in the PGA TOUR record book. His father Jay won this event in 1987, so it would be the Shell Houston Open’s first father-son champion duo.

Third-round leader Steve Wheatcroft, who earned his way into the event in the Monday four-spot qualifier, shot even-par 72 on Saturday. Jason Kokrak shot 71 to join Wheatcroft, Ben Crane and first-round leader D.A. Points at 10-under-par 206.

Three major championship winners trail by two strokes. Former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, No. 6 in the World Golf Rankings, heads a logjam at 9-under-par that includes former PGA Champion Keegan Bradley and former U.S. Open and Masters winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina. Lee Westwood, No. 13 in the World Golf Rankings, Henrik Stenson of Sweden, Bud Cauley, Kevin Chappel, Billy Horschel and Cameron Tringale are also just two back.

Oosthuizen, who shot 65 to match Cauley for low round of the day, is in familiar territory at Redstone. He held a two-stroke lead in 2012 after three rounds.

Dustin Johnson, No. 20,  is 3 back at 209 and No. 11 Phil Mickelson, another former major championship winner, is five back. No. 2 Rory McIlroy is at 2-under-par 214.

Tee times run from 7:30 AM until 12:35 when co-leaders Cink and Haas begin play.

HUMBLE, TX (March 29, 2013) – Tournament organizers are honoring President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush during the 2013 Shell Houston Open (SHO) by encouraging spectators to wear “crazy socks” on Crazy Socks Saturday, March 30. A longtime fan and friend of the tournament, President Bush has garnered quite a reputation for his love of patterned and brightly colored socks.

“The Shell Houston Open and Houston Golf Association teams are excited to pay tribute to President and Mrs. Bush in a fun way,” said Steve Timms, president and CEO of the Houston Golf Association. “We appreciate the unwavering support they have both given to the tournament over the years, and look forward to thanking them on this unique day.”

Golf fans who choose to don crazy socks at the SHO on March 30 will be given a souvenir. Crazy socks are characterized as having bright colors, patterns, unique designs and unusual fashion elements. Volunteers, spectators and tournament sponsors wearing crazy socks will get a free Shell Houston Open koozie or ball marker at the social media tent at the SHO.

“Be forewarned, my fellow golf fans, that donning unconventional socks is not for the faint of heart,” said President Bush. “The routine wearer of such socks will often encounter friends — including friends of long-standing — questioning your judgment. I do not want to name names, but if you have ever been married to the same person for 68 years they, too, will accuse you of having totally lost it. So maybe our friends at the Houston Golf Association are on to something in dubbing this Crazy Socks Saturday. Suffice it to say Barbara and I hope you enjoy it, and we thank you for supporting the Shell Houston Open.”

The 2013 Shell Houston Open is going on this week at Redstone Golf Club in Humble. For more information on the tournament and Crazy Socks Saturday, visit ShellHoustonOpen.com or follow the SHO on Facebook and Twitter.

Tags: crazy sock day, george bush, george h w bush, shell houston open

Rory McIlroy, center, with students from Chinquapin Prep School. The bag McIlroy carries this week will be auctioned through his foundation and the proceeds will go to Chinquapin Prep School.

The 6-Bags Project and Rory McIlroy arrived at the Shell Houston Open on Tuesday. McIlroy will be using a staff bag featuring the Chinquapin Prep School logo this week. That bag will be auctioned off at the end of the week and Chinquapin Prep will get the proceeds. Click here for details.  McIlroy, the No. 2 player in the World Golf Rankings, spent time visitng with Chinquapin Prep School students after being interviewed by the media.

“It is an honor for me to carry a bag with the crest of Chinquapin Prep School on it at the Shell Houston Open,” said McIlroy.

McIlroy will sign the bag at the end of the week and it will be auctioned off via the Rory Foundation website.

The Shell Houston Open is the fifth of six tournaments in the first fundraising initiative of The Rory Foundation. Chinquapin Prep, a benefiting charity of the Shell Houston Open and Houston Golf Association since 1979, is a non-profit college-preparatory school for grades six through twelve, primarily serving economically disadvantaged youth from the Houston area. Located in Highlands, TX the campus has classes for boys in grades seven through twelve, who live on campus Monday through Friday, while the girls and 6th grade boys are transported back to their homes daily. In 1995 it was named the PGA TOUR Charity of the Year.

The Rory Foundation — a registered charity (1137174) — has been set up by Rory to help children from around the world.

The 6 Bags Project is the first fundraiser that The Rory Foundation is undertaking. For each of the first 6 tournaments Rory plays in for the first four months of 2013 Rory’s golf bag will carry the name and logo of a children’s charity. During the tournament the bag will be auctioned through www.roryfoundation.com with all monies raised going to the featured charity. The aim where possible is that each charity will be active within the community where the tournament is being held.

The 6 tournaments are listed below with the respective charity that will benefit. The exception is The Masters where the charity has been decided upon but will be announced at a later date.

(1) HSBC Abu Dhabi (17 – 20th January) – Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children (2) WGC -Accenture Match Play Championship (20 – 24th February): Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson (3) Honda Classic (28th February – 3rd March): Child Protection Team of the Palm Beaches (4) WGC-Cadillac Championship (7th – 10th March): First Tee Miami-Dade Amateur Golf Association (5) Shell Houston Open: (25th -31st March): Chinquapin Prep School (6) The Masters (11th-14th April): To Be Announced