HUMBLE, Texas – A cloud of reporters surrounded Jordan Spieth after his pro-am round at the Shell Houston Open. The first question posed to the 21-year-old sensation addressed his meteoric rise to No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and Spieth handled it with aplomb.

“I feel like I’ve been playing like a top-5 player in the world,” he deadpanned, a reference to Patrick Reed’s bold claim of a year ago.

Then Spieth flashed a devilish smile. He arrived in Houston having finished first and second, respectively, in his previous two starts, and now Augusta beckons. His confidence is high.

“About as high as it’s ever been,” Spieth said. “Feel as comfortable as ever.”

Spieth has one eye on the Masters, where in 2014 he held the lead on the front nine Sunday before an eventual tie for second in his debut performance. This week, he said, is about “trimming the fat,” trying to hit the ball a little straighter, minimizing the wayward shots, polishing his short game and practicing his speed putting. Spieth knows the Golf Club of Houston well, dating to a junior tournament here, when he wasn’t long enough to reach Nos. 2, 17 and 18.

“I had driver and 3-wood, had to hit a wedge into the breeze,” said Spieth, who grew up in Dallas. “I played here about as much as I played anywhere on Tour. No excuses for not knowing my way around this track.”

One of the people who helped him cram for his Masters debut last year was fellow Texas Longhorn Ben Crenshaw, a two-time Masters champion who will be making his Augusta swansong between the ropes. Spieth hopes to play a nine-hole practice round with Gentle Ben next week and be there to tip his cap to one of his mentors at 18.

“Hopefully I can finish after him Sunday if he makes the cut, but if he doesn’t I hope I finish before him on Friday and I’m able to kind of watch something like that, something historical,” Spieth said.

If he keeps playing like a top-5 player, Spieth could make some history of his own.