TOP 20 IN THEIR 20s: No. 6  Editor's Note: Our "Top 20 in Their 20s" series continues as PGATOUR.com counts down the top golfers on the PGA TOUR aged 20-29 over the next week. The list is based on 14 statistical categories, including TOUR wins, Official World Golf Ranking, percentage of time spent in the top 10 throughout their career and 2007 FedExCup performance. Get to know No. 6: Charles Howell III.
After a breakout rookie year in 2001, the Rookie of the Year built on his success during his sophomore season. He set two course records and won his first TOUR event, the 2002 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill.
And then -- he got stuck. He by no means struggled; Howell managed to rack up several runner-up finishes, including two second-place finishes this year at the Sony Open and the Buick Invitational. Howell just couldn't get over the hump to get his second TOUR victory, something many first time winners struggle with. That is until this year, when he came back to Riviera. In what looked to almost be a replay of the 2004 event, Howell was in a playoff yet again. Only this time it was with Phil Mickelson, who was coming off a win the week before at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Both players missed shots badly and even hit balls into the crowd. But it was Howell that emerged victorious, feeling like "the luckiest guy in the world". The elated Howell also now has something that continues to elude his good friend Tiger Woods. At only 16 years old, Woods's first PGA TOUR event was the 1992 Nissan Open -- he has continued to play in it over the years (bypassing this year) but has yet to win in his hometown tournament. "I guess he doesn't have a Nissan Open trophy, but he's got every one on me," Howell said. "I still remember one of the first times that I went over to his house. I looked there, and he's got his TV and all four major trophies sitting there. "He probably wondered what was wrong with me because I just sat there and looked at them a bit mesmerized really."
The 5-foot-9, sinewy Howell may have a small frame, but he has a powerful swing and ranks 15th on TOUR in driving distance. A swing that -- on more than one occasion -- has gotten him referred to as the only great American golfer in his 20s, Howell balks at the claim, saying there is plenty of homegrown talent on TOUR. "I always thought it was funny because there are so many good American players out there," Howell said. "A lot of us haven't played up to our potential, but there is a lot of them out here." Howell's win pushed him atop the Fed Ex Cup standings, into the top of the money list and greatly improved his World Golf Ranking. But more importantly for Howell, it affirmed he still is good at the only thing he said he ever has been good at. "I won the Tavistock Cup at Isleworth, but truthfully that's all I won," Howell said. "I hadn't won any games of horse. Ronde Barber is a good friend of mine that plays on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm now reminded I can never play in the NFL; I have no chance there. I haven't won a whole lot in five years; this one is definitely a relief." Who will be No. 5? Hint: This South African golfer grew up in the company of golf superstar Gary Player. |
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