Three-time major championship winner Padraig Harrington of Northern Ireland and Texas resident Hunter Mahan, No. 22 in the World Golf Rankings, have committed to play in the Shell Houston Open the week of March 28-April 1.

Harrington, winner of two British Opens and a U.S. PGA Championship, has played in every Shell Houston Open since it moved to the Redstone Golf Club – Tournament Course in 2006. He joins fellow Irishmen Graeme McDowell, No. 13 in the World Golf Rankings and the 2010 U.S. Open winner, plus Darren Clarke, defending British Open champion. The early commitment list also features No. 3 Lee Westwood and No. 28 Simon Dyson of England.

Mahan, winner of four professional tournaments, including the World Golf Championship – Bridgestone Invitational, has teed it up in every Shell Houston Open since 2004. A member of three President’s Cup and two Ryder Cup Teams, the Colleyville, TX resident finished T8 in the 2011 SHO for his third Top 10 finish.

Players with Shell Houston Open on their schedule continue to make PGA TOUR headlines. Defending SHO champion Phil Mickelson, who won his 40^{th PGA TOUR event at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, nearly won in a sudden-death playoff at the Northern Trust Open. Mickelson is now No. 9 in the World Rankings. Johnson Wagner, 2008 SHO champion who won the 2012 SONY Open in Hawaii, returns to defend his Mayacoba Open title this week.}

Tournament Director Steve Timms will be at the Accenture Match Play World Golf Championship event Tuesday and Wednesday. “Our field is off to a strong start,” said Timms. “We hope to get more good news from players this week.”

Players have until March 23 (the Friday before tournament week) to commit or withdraw from the Shell Houston Open. The starting field will be 144 players. A player, not otherwise eligible, could earn an invitation to The Masters by winning in Houston.