The Starter: Round 1, Shell Houston Open

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Apr. 1, 2010

CASEY, PAMPLING WITHDRAW (8:48 a.m.) -- Paul Casey withdrew on Thursday from the Shell Houston Open, citing a tweaked a muscle behind his left shoulder that he injured during Wednesday's pro-am.

Casey, the defending champion in this event, was replaced in the field by Steve Wheatcroft. Casey said the injury feels like a "pinch in the left shoulder."

"I am bitterly disappointed not to be going out there and playing today," Casey told PGA TOUR media official John Bush. "I have got to worry about the rest of the season."

Casey injured a rib last July and it effectively kept him out of action until December.

"I tried to play through an injury and it ended up costing me six months," Casey said.

Casey returned from the rib injury and is off to the best start of his career, posting four top-10s in four starts. He was among the favorites this week at Redstone, where he won in a playoff in 2009.

Casey intends to remain on site in Houston for treatment for the injury, which he hopes will not keep him out of the Masters next week.

"I am not going to hit a golf ball for at least a couple of days," Casey said. "The best treatment I can get is actually the guys on site here. They got all the equipment in there I need."

Rod Pampling also withdrew before the first round. He was replaced by Andrew McLardy.

The first round of the Shell Houston Open is set to begin. Here's a look at Thursday's round:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
9 a.m. ET No. 10		Steve Wheatcroft, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott Steve Wheatcroft replaced defending champion Paul Casey in the field just minutes before the group's tee time.
9:10 a.m. ET, No. 1		Cameron Beckman, Padraig Harrington, Hunter Mahan Mahan is a popular pick given his history in Houston, while Harrington was pretty hot in Florida.
1:50 p.m. ET, No. 1		Ernie Els, Anthony Kim, Pat Perez Els is a big favorite on his hot streak, but don't forget Kim at a course that suits him well.

MORE ROUND 1: Tee times | Inside the field | Inside the course

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR NETWORK on-site correspondent Bob Stevens previews Thursday's first round:

Usually, players couch the superlatives they pass out to courses or other players when comparing them, but the two players I asked to rate the course conditions this week at Redstone, 2008 champion Johnson Wagner and this year's Waste Management champ, Hunter Mahan, called it the best conditioned course outside of the majors they play all year. Wagner's only qualifier was that Muirfield Village, host of Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament, was right up there with Redstone, but both were effusive in their praise, and others echoed their sentiments, especially those headed to Augusta next week. Maybe it's no surprise that the last two winners of the Green Jacket played Redstone the week before.

Thursday's forecast

Partly cloudy
Temp: 81 high/58 low
Mostly sunny with SSE winds at 16 mph.

Can Ernie Els keep burning the candle like he has lately? After his Monday win at Bay Hill, Els flew to Augusta to check out the Masters' setup, then made it to Houston in plenty of time for his Wednesday pro-am. The TOUR's hottest player could have been excused if he wanted to beg out this week, but he seems even more energized after his back-to-back wins.

If you're still waiting for Phil Mickelson's first big run of 2010, maybe Houston would be an appropriate place. Mickelson told colleague Fred Albers that he's spent more time than he'd like at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston with wife Amy's treatments over the last months and is excited to be in town for fun, for a change.

Remember, Lefty's the last TOUR player to win the week before Augusta and then go back-to-back at the Masters when he won in Atlanta before his '06 Masters triumph.

INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER: Steve Hanlon, head instructor at TPC San Antonio, analyzes the playing conditions this week:

An amazing field begins play at the Shell Houston Open. With the weather warm and the winds normally blowing, the course will more than likely play hard and fast. Defending champion Paul Casey is once again in the field, and look for him to have a strong week.

Looking over Casey's stats on the PGA TOUR this year, and it is hard to bet against him. Playing in four events, he has finished in the top 10 all four times. While Casey is not a short hitter, averaging just under 290 yards per drive, it is his greens in regulation, (71 percent, third on TOUR) and putts per greens in regulation (1.703, 10th on TOUR) that seem to be his keys to success.

What I like about Casey's game, and what I feel are huge keys to his success, are very solid set-up fundamentals. While it may seem trivial, every one of us -- even players at the top level of the game -- can fall victim to a poor set up. Practicing a solid setup can be done in the comfort of your own home in front of a mirror. Start with your heels at approximately the same width as your shoulder joints, then with your knees locked push your hips out over your heels allowing your upper body to tilt forward so your shoulders are over your toes. This will produce a nice straight spine and flat back. Lastly, gently unlock your knees being conscious to not go too deep into your knee flex. Repeating this process five to 10 times per night will ingrain really good habits to take with you to your next practice session or round of golf.

The Film Room

	Preview: Shell Houston Open Paul Casey looks to defend his title as the PGA TOUR heads to Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas, for the Shell Houston Open. Watch it
	Fantasy Insider Need help with your fantasy picks for the 2010 Shell Houston Open? John Swantek and the Fantasy Insider can help. Watch it
	Interview: Paul Casey Paul Casey, the 2009 Shell Houston Open Champion, spoke of his game coming into his first PGA TOUR victory and the questions he had regarding his recovery from a rib injury. Watch it