Padraig Harrington bogeyed the last hole but he still kept his faint hopes of qualifying for next week's US Masters alive. The three time major winner has to win the Shell Houston Open to avoid missing out on a trip to Augusta for the first time since 1999. The Dubliner got off to a good start with an opening round 69 at the Golf Club of Houston. Harrington started on the 10th and holed from eight feet for an opening birdie before picking up another shot on the par-five 13th. Harrington dropped a shot on the next after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker but quickly made amends with birdies on the 17th and 18th to reach the turn in 33. A three-putt bogey on the third halted the former Ryder Cup star's momentum, but birdies on the fourth and sixth had him high on the leaderboard before a disappointing bogey on the ninth, his final hole.
Harrington's 3 under which is four shots behind joint leaders Charley Hoffmann and Bill Haas. Former US PGA champion Keegan Bradley is among a large group a shot behind on six under, while Sergio Garcia is the top European player after a five-under par 67 which was matched by former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, while Ernie Els returned a 68. Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who can replace the injured Tiger Woods as world number one with a victory in Houston, returned a 71, while former world number one Rory McIlroy finished two under. McIlroy was three under after eight holes but missed from 10 feet for birdie on the 10th and then three-putted the 11th from long range. Another shot looked set to disappear when he found the water in trying to drive the green on the short par-four 12th, but a superb pitch ensured he saved par and an excellent bunker shot on the par-five 13th set up a birdie. However, the two-time major winner was unable to scramble for par on the 14th and had to settle for an opening 70.
