Harrington cut, Masters hopes ride on Houston win

Pádraig Harrington watches playing partner Aaron Baddeley tee off. 

Pádraig Harrington missed the cut in the Valero Texas Open and must now win next week's Shell Houston Open or miss the Masters for the first time since he made his debut in 2000.

The three-time major winner faced an uphill task at TPC San Antonio following his four over 76 in the first round. But while two birdies in his first four holes gave him hope, he played the remainder in three over, carding a 73 to finish two shots outside the projected cut on five over par.

A bogey at the 15th (his sixth), where he was bunkered and missed an eight footer, was not disastrous as he turned in one under 35. When he followed a par save from seven feet at the first with a chip and putt birdie at the par-five second, his chances of surviving looked good.

But he then dropped three shots in his next five holes with the most painful bogey coming at the 342-yard fifth where he had 58 yards to the pin after a perfectly placed tee shot but overshot the green and failed to get up and down.

The Dubliner is one of 22 major champions teeing it up in Houston with Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke joined by Keegan Bradley, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, Ben Curtis, Ernie Els, Lucas Glover, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Martin Kaymer, Justin Leonard, Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson, David Toms, Mike Weir and YE Yang.

As for the Valero Texas Open, 30-year old Australian Steven Bowditch shot a 67 to lead in the clubhouse by one stroke on eight under par from Americans Chad Collins and Andrew Loupe. 

Open champion Phil Mickelson got up and down from the hazard for birdie at the par-five 18th, holing a five footer, and looked likely to make the cut on three over after adding a 70 to his first round 77