Fantasy Insider: Analysis for the Shell Houston Open

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Next week's Masters field stands at 99 following the withdrawal of Bernhard Langer, who is out two months following surgery on his left thumb. If not already eligible, the champion of this week's Shell Houston Open will make it a cool 100 at Augusta National. As of Tuesday afternoon, 32 in the field at Redstone are currently scheduled to make the trip to Georgia net week.

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On the eve of the season's first major, it's a good time to remind you that I cannot hit every golfer in every field. A common email is one that asks if I'm down on a guy because he isn't included in the Fantasy Insider. Not at all. The absence of a yea vote doesn't necessarily equate to a no vote.

Once the top 10 are plucked for the Power Rankings, the golfers that make the cut for the Fantasy Insider are those that I believe possess the greatest relevance for the given week. However, just because you won't read about guys like Y.E. Yang, Brendon de Jonge and Charl Schwartzel below doesn't mean I'm not confident in what they could do this week. Plain and simple, there just isn't enough space, and I wouldn't presume to occupy your attention long enough even if there was. It's one of the reasons I'm available via email and Twitter.

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11. Phil Mickelson ... If he was known at Redstone for more than his blistering finish to last year's edition (six straight birdies beginning at the 11th hole), he'd have cracked the Power Rankings proper. However, with no top 20s in three starts here, he hasn't earned the nod. The short game wizard should flourish on this track, but thoughts ahead to next week are worth mild concern in our world.

12. J.B. Holmes ... While his scrambling has regressed back to pre-2010 form, he's hitting a career-high greens in regulation, so there's some offset there. He's 22nd in putting and finished second here in 2009. He withdrew from last year's edition following the commitment deadline.

13. Francesco Molinari ... Brother Edoardo enjoyed a sharper ascent into our consciousness, but the younger Molinari has been more consistent over the past 16 months or so. Currently 15th in the world ranking and coming off a share of third place at Doral, where he flashed his world-class tee-to-green game (second in fairways hit, T1 in greens), he offers no reason why he shouldn't continue to contend. This includes next week as well.

14. Bobby Gates ... The Texas A&M product earned low-rookie honors at both opposite-field events to the World Golf Championships with top 10s, and in windy conditions similar to what the field will face this week. Also lives in The Woodlands, just northwest of Redstone.

15. J.J. Henry ... Came through again last week with a T12 at Bay Hill. Now 9-for-9 on the year with five top 25s. Putting (81st) and scrambling (110th) splits are unimpressive, but he's 33rd in the all-around. And he's cashed in each of his last three trips to Redstone.

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Power Rankings Distribution for Yahoo! (rank)

Group A ... Marc Leishman (1); Matt Kuchar (2); Steve Marino (3); Lucas Glover (5); Lee Westwood (7); Phil Mickelson (11)

Group B ... Steve Stricker (6); Spencer Levin (8); Webb Simpson (9); Hunter Mahan (10); J.J. Henry (15)

Group C ... Jason Day (4); J.B. Holmes (12); Francesco Molinari (13); Bobby Gates (14)

Dark Horse (Yahoo! Group)

Vaughn Taylor (B) ... Forever a better long-term own, but he still has a score to settle after last year's crushing loss in the playoff to Anthony Kim. Still not eligible for his hometown Masters yet either.

Aaron Baddeley (C) ... Closed out a tie for 12th at Bay Hill with a bogey-free 3-under 69. Don't sweat his career-worst rank of 56th in putting. He's hitting significantly more greens in regulation than ever before, ranks a lofty 18th, so his putting rank will take a hit given the natural inverse relationship.

Johnson Wagner (C) ... He's gone 1-for-3 (T30, Bay Hill) since winning the Mayakoba, but he's a former winner at Redstone (2008). Banking on his emotional connection to the site of his first career PGA TOUR victory to translate into strong play just weeks after his second.

D.J. Trahan (B) ... Finally put together a consistent week at Bay Hill, where he finished T12. Given his awful start to 2011, ignore his splits, but note that he's finished eighth (2007) and T11 (2010) in his two trips to Redstone.

Brian Davis (A) ... After a couple of months well outside our radar, the Brit ended his Florida Swing with a pair of top 30s, including a T12 at Bay Hill, where he co-led the field in greens hit. Again, like with Trahan, you need to overlook Davis' full-season stats and rely on current form. A better save for other venues, but he finished T14 here in 2009.

Jhonattan Vegas (C) ... It was at the 2003 edition at Redstone's Member Course where the Venezuelan was discovered by the University of Texas. This is his first return since that fateful week. The Florida Swing ate him up pretty good, as it does most rookies, but few if any own the kind of vibe at this event with which he tees it up this week. His distance is an advantage, as are his irons.

Fred Couples (C) ... Including a pair of starts on the Champions Tour, this is just his fifth official event of the year. Weather will not be an issue this week, so his back should be fine. And you can never rule him out in Houston, where he's logged two top fives at Redstone's Tournament Course (2008, 2009).

Danger (Yahoo! Group)

Anthony Kim (C) ... Sorry, but the defending champ arrived last year with quite a bit more mojo. It's more like baggage this week. In his last five starts, he's missed two cuts, withdrew once (illness), went 0-1 at the Match Play and placed 60th at the 66-man WGC-Cadillac Championship. Classic trap.

Ernie Els (A) ... Second straight week in this category. Hopefully, you heeded the advice at Bay Hill, where he finished T70. He's currently 158th on TOUR in putting and 172nd in scrambling. Yes, he's 13th in greens hit but, remember, you want the inverse relationship to support one's game nearest the hole.

Stuart Appleby (B) ... Sublime example of why I don't offer long-range projections for single tournaments. Emails asking for insight on the Masters started trickling in weeks ago, but I don't bite. Dynamics change too frequently in this game. It was just two weeks ago that Appleby sat three strokes off the lead at the midpoint of the Transitions Championship. He blew up for a 77 in the third round and finished T57. He then shot 78-71 at Bay Hill, missing the cut on the number. Had you asked me two weeks ago how he was shaping up for Redstone, I might have circled him as a favorite given his form at the time and track record (win, 2006; T2, 2007). Not now.

John Senden (B) ... Good for a paycheck, but I'm concerned about his putting again. He hit 12 greens on Sunday at Bay Hill and still required 35 swipes.

Steve Elkington (B) ... The local with the creaky body hasn't played since missing the cut at the Northern Trust, and he's just 1-for-4 on the year.

Jose Maria Olazabal (B) ... Not worth your attention in any format that rewards low numbers, but it's worth pointing out that he's making his first start in the U.S. since the 2009 St. Jude Classic. This will already be his sixth start of the year worldwide, and will be employing Houston as a tune-up for next week's Masters. Still has status on the PGA TOUR via a Major Medical Extension.

Medic! (Yahoo! Group)

Ben Crane (B) ... Hasn't teed it up in competition since withdrawing from the WGC-Cadillac Championship early due to a pulled muscle in the left side of his ribcage. Has two top 25s at Redstone, but expect some rust on the greens.

Louis Oosthuizen (A) ... Withdrew from his title defense of last week's Andalucia Open after a virus in his eye spread to his mouth. Missed the cut here in his only appearance in 2008. Underwhelming start to his rookie season on the PGA TOUR.

Matt Bettencourt (C) ... Withdrew after his opening round (80) at Bay Hill due to tendinitis in his right elbow. Making his 11th start of the year after playing in the first seven events.

Fred Funk (B) ... Returns to play at the Champions Tour's Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic. Had withdrawn early from the Transitions Championship due to a strain in his chest. Still fully exempt through this year.

Notable WDs (Yahoo! Group)

Camilo Villegas (B) ... You might not know it but the Colombian made three starts on the Florida Swing. He missed the cut in two of them, and finished T35 at Doral. A bad back bumped him from the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February, but it is unknown what prompted this week's decision. Look for him at the Masters.

Brian Gay (A) ... Short game would stand out, but the track is probably too long for him. Will get at least two weeks off now as he did not qualify for the Masters.