Golf

Howell seeks to fulfill potential

Big things were expected from 2001's top rookie. But Charles Howell, one of the clubhouse leaders at Bay Hill, remains at one win.

By BOB HARIG
Published March 19, 2005

ORLANDO - The victories were supposed to come fast and furious for Charles Howell, a long-hitting hotshot who came to the PGA Tour loaded with credentials.

Five years later, Howell, 25, is still sitting on a grand total of one win, his resume far lighter than his potential.

"Now I know, if anything, how difficult it is to win," Howell said Friday evening after earning a share of the clubhouse lead with Stephen Ames at the Bay Hill Invitational. "When I won the Michelob Championship (in 2002), it was my 68th event, and a lot of people thought that was too long.

"I think I've found a way to be rather consistent and have a lot of good finishes. But that step to winning is what I'm trying to figure out."

Howell took a lot of steps in that direction Friday. A lot of steps.

It was a marathon day at the Bay Hill Club for some, rather ordinary for others. Rain limited Thursday's play to just three hours, so some could complete only the first round. Others, such as Howell, were able to finish 36 holes while others were somewhere in between.

Howell shot 4-under 68 to stand at 139, 5 under par. Ames also shot 68 to tie him. Joe Ogilvie, who was the first-round leader with a 68, finished just three holes and is tied at 5 under.

Vijay Singh, who is ranked second in the world and could overtake Tiger Woods with a victory, shot 68 to finish 36 holes at 140, a shot back. Singh holed a 9-iron second shot at the eighth hole for an eagle.

The second round resumes at 7:15 this morning, and a cut to the low 70 players and ties will be made upon completion. Then players will be grouped in threesomes and sent off both tees to begin the third round this afternoon. The round is not expected to be completed until Sunday morning.

Some, such as Woods and Ernie Els, face being at the golf course bright and early for three straight days.

"Yeah, if I knew this, maybe I would have taken the week off," said Els, who shot 71 and is four strokes back but has not hit a shot in his second round.

Friday began cold and damp with temperatures hovering in the 40s. It led to some strange occurrences. Australian Mark Hensby, 9 over par for his round, came to the 18th tee and hit his drive out of bounds. He simply decided to quit and was disqualified. Aaron Oberholser, Dudley Hart, Scott Hoch, Ryan Palmer and Steve Flesch withdrew with injuries, although their high scores might have had something to do with it.

Howell couldn't remember playing 36 holes in a day since he was in college, and that is where he made a name for himself. He was the 2000 NCAA champion as a junior at Oklahoma State, and his total of 23 under par set an NCAA scoring record. He was a two-time All-American.

After turning pro, Howell earned special temporary member status in only six events by making the cut in 7 of 11 tournaments. In 2001, he was the tour's rookie of the year. He already has accumulated more than $9-million in earnings.

But the lack of victories. ... He won in 2002, lost in a playoff to Mike Weir at the 2003 Nissan Open, played fairly consistent. Not enough hardware, however.

Howell, who grew up in Augusta, Ga., and now lives in Orlando, realized he needed to start paying more attention to his short game. He looked at his statistics and realized he was not among the top 100 players in hitting shots from 75-125 yards. "My play from 100 yards and in is a lot better," Howell said. "There is renewed focus on it and excitement to work on it."

Howell was excited about something else Friday night. He'll get to sleep in this morning while others play.

"I'm glad I'm done," he said.

"I'll get to rest a little bit more, and that's fine."

[Last modified March 19, 2005, 01:01:18]