Graham DeLaet in the running at Houston -- and maybe at Augusta

This has not been a good season for Canada's great golf hope.

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., has struggled mightlly this year, with only two top 10s to show for his efforts. He has fallen out of the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings -- sinking to 69th -- and has failed to make the cut in his last three PGA Tour events.

Things have been so bad, he went into this week's Shell Houston Open knowing that his only hope of qualifying for next week's Masters was to win his first PGA tournament in Houston.

Well, not to put a jinx on him, but he just could do it.

DeLaet recorded his second straight round of 5-under 67 on Friday and  heads into the weekend only two shots behind leader Andrew Putnam. Talk about a Good Friday.

The big difference this week has been his putting. Known as one of the best ball-strikers on the tour, DeLaet has often had trouble with the flat stick. But not in Houston. He's needed only 54 putts in the first 36 holes.

But despite those solid rounds, DeLaet isn't getting carried away with his prospects of getting to Augusta National next week.

“I’ve been here before," he told the Golf Channel. ``I’m not getting too far ahead of myself only halfway through the golf tournament.

“I’m going to have fun. It’s exciting.”

DeLaet hasn't had a lot of success on the weekends in recent tournaments -- at least those he's made the cut in -- but he's been rock solid so far at the Golf Club of Houston.

On Friday, he started out like a prairie wildfire, recording four birdies on the front nine. He added another two on the back, though his final nine were marred by a bogey on the par-3 16th.

But despite that, he stands at 10-under, tied for fourth behind Putnam (-12), Phil Mickelson (-11) and Austin Cook (-11).

"I feel like I've been in control of my golf game for the first time in months," he told PGA Tour radio. "It's good to be playing some good golf again."

He said he's decided to start having fun on the golf course after weeks of grinding in hopes of making the Masters.

If he can put himself in position to win on Sunday, he'll have even more fun.

Fellow Canadians David Hearn (-5) and Adam Hadwin (-4) also made the cut.