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Russell Henley secures Masters invite with Houston Open victory

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Russell Henley secures a late invite to the Masters with Shell Houston Open victory.

Russell Henley delivered a birdie masterclass to win the Shell Houston Open and secure a last-minute invite to the Masters.

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Shell Houston Open

The American fired a round-of-the-day 65 to finish three strokes clear of overnight leader Sung Kang, with Rickie Fowler and Luke List a further shot back in a share of third.

Victory books Henley the final place in the field for the opening major of the year at Augusta, giving the Georgia native his fourth Masters appearance in five years.

HUMBLE, TX - APRIL 02:  Russell Henley hits his approach shot on the sixth hole during the final round of the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Housto
Image: Henley posted 10 birdies during his final round

The threat of bad weather saw tee times brought forward in Houston, where Kang took a three-shot lead over Fowler into the final day.

Kang - who was six clear of the field after 36 holes - rolled in a 20-footer at the fourth, where Fowler lost ground with a bogey having already double-bogeyed the second.

HUMBLE, TX - APRIL 02:  Rickie Fowler plays his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston on
Image: Rickie Fowler posted a two-under 70

Henley finished his third round with back-to-back birdies to begin four strokes back and continued his run on Sunday, moving alongside Kang with five gains in a seven-hole stretch along the front nine.

The American double-bogeyed the ninth after three-putting from 30 feet to reach the turn one behind Kang - who bogeyed the same hole - but moved back tied-top with a 15-foot gain at the 10th.

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Henley claimed the outright advantage with a close-range birdie at the 12th and extended his lead with a 35-footer at the par-three next.

A birdie-four at the 15th was followed by a 15-foot gain at the 17th to leave Henley four clear heading to the last, where he could afford a closing bogey and still secure a third PGA Tour title.

HUMBLE, TX - APRIL 02:  Sung Kang of South Korea waits to putt on the second green during the final round of the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Hou
Image: Sung Kang needed a victory to qualify for the Masters

Kang ended level-par and List picked up shots on his final two holes to sit tied-third, with Fowler also finishing on 16 under after four birdies in the space of six holes on a blemish-free back nine.

Daniel Berger carded a five-under 67 to grab fifth place despite double-bogeying his final hole, with Jon Rahm matching that total to end the week inside the top-10.

English pair Andy Sullivan and Justin Rose posted closing 70s to sit joint-15th, while Angel Cabrera fired a hole-in-one at his final hole to finish on four under.

HUMBLE, TX - APRIL 01:  Angel Cabrera of Argentina hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club o
Image: Angel Cabrera is in the field for Augusta next week

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