US TOUR HOUSTON OPEN:AUGUSTA NATIONAL might be 1,000 miles from Redstone Golf Club, but the Masters venue is still much on the minds of the leading contenders for the green jacket who have turned up in Texas to warm their engines.

But unlike Lee Westwood, who for the first time made a reconnaissance trip to Augusta last Sunday and Monday and bumped into Tiger Woods, or Rory McIlroy, who played 72 holes there just a few weeks ago, Pádraig Harrington has never felt the need to tread the hallowed Georgia turf before Masters week.

One could argue that Harrington is approaching his 11th Masters appearance showing his best early-season form since 2005, and he’s doing everything in his power to make sure he does nothing to mess up his mental state before he drives down Magnolia Lane next Monday morning.

Ireland’s three-time major champion was literally driven to distraction here last year, visiting at least nine water hazards en route to a share of 26th place behind Paul Casey.

“Houston, we have a problem” has adequately summed up the Dubliner’s pre-Masters preparations for the past three years, but this time he’s hoping to launch Mission Augusta without a glitch.

“There is not much work to do, but I do have to get it right this week,” said Harrington, who did not see the need to call coach Bob Torrance despite a messy finish in Tampa 10 days ago.

“I want to be disciplined this week to get ready for next week, and while there mightn’t be much work to be done, there could be a lot of damage done between now and next week, so I have to be very mindful of that,” he said.

Harrington would not turn up his nose at a win this week, but admits his main goal is to leave Houston feeling mentally prepared for the toughest major championship course of them all.

“It has nothing to do with the scoring but just the way I approach things. If the mental side of my game and my routines are good then I would be very happy going into next week,” he explained. “I’d also want my swing to be in reasonable shape. The last thing is that you don’t want to be going to Augusta trying to find something or work on something. In that sense, it was good last week also that I did not have to see Bob (Torrance) to work on my swing.”

Harrington has never felt the need to make an early visit to Augusta National since his debut there in 2000.

“I am not going to learn anything new in my practice rounds at Augusta, unlike other major venues where you don’t know the course,” Harrington explained. “I will tell myself a hundred times next week that I know the golf course, that I know the greens and the different intricacies.”

Yet Westwood, the world number four, was delighted he spent last Sunday and Monday practising at Augusta.

“I was walking around with (my caddie) Billy (Foster), and I said to him, ‘why have I never been here before the Masters to play a practice round’,” said Westwood, who spied Tiger Woods among the towering pines.

“It’s just difficult to fit in when you are living the other side of the Atlantic. But having played it Sunday and Monday, you just don’t appreciate how lovely the course and surrounds are, because when the tournament’s on everything goes about 120 mph.”

In contrast to a relaxed Harrington, McIlroy has spent the past two weeks working hard with his coach, Michael Bannon, to knock his swing back into shape after three disappointing weeks on the PGA Tour.

“I was struggling with my back and I wasn’t really happy with the way my game was going,” said McIlroy, who played four rounds in three days at Augusta with some members and his friends, Harry Diamond and Stephen Sweeney, two weeks ago.

He will be joined for the next fortnight by Bannon, and he revealed that his back injury is much improved.

“Obviously I have been trying to protect my back with the way I have been swinging, and I just got into a couple of bad habits.

“Michael and I have been looking at swings from when I was playing well in the past and trying to get it back to where I was then.

“I am pretty positive about my back. I had another scan last Monday, which showed that it is a lot better. I am still not 100 per cent, but I am definitely on the right track. I am not taking medication, just Ibuprofen if it is a little sore.”

Tied for 19th here last year, McIlroy added: “I like the golf course and it has great practice facilities and the course is set up well. It is set up with the Masters in mind – the same grass lengths, same green speeds, and for me this is really a preparation week for the Masters. So long as I can get my game in shape going into next Monday, I will be happy.”