AUGUSTA, Ga.'He is kidded about his name and about his taste of clothes. He is sometimes overlooked because of his size. But make no mistake: Charles Howell III'\Thurston"" to many of his fellow PGA Tour pros'is considered a legitimate contender at the 66th Masters.
It's not just the knowledge of Augusta National's nuances that Howell gained growing up playing as an occasional guest. Howell, the PGA Tour's reigning Rookie of the Year, shot 80 the first time he played the course. He was 10 at the time.
""I think I can win the tournament,"" said Howell, 22, who would become the first player since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 to win the Masters on his first try. ""I don't say that cocky, or to stick a foot in my mouth, or as coming out and trying to be anything more than what it is.""
Howell started his second year on tour with a tie for fourth in Hawaii and a tie for sixth at the Bob Hope Classic, but since another tie for sixth at the Nissan Open in Los Angeles in February, Howell has been in something of a slump. He missed the cut last week at the BellSouth Classic.
""I felt like I've hit the ball well all year, just that little scoring bit I've missed here lately,"" said Howell, whose troubles have been attributed mostly to his putting. ""Sometimes that just takes one good shot or one good putt to get over.""
Howell started going to the Masters with his family in 1987, the year fellow Augustan Larry Mize beat Greg Norman in a playoff with a 120-foot chip. Howell had just taken up the game and his parents had joined neighboring Augusta Country Club.
""Being from Augusta, it even made me pay even more attention to it,"" Howell said. ""Actually, I was not on the 11th hole when he chipped in. I had been at the golf course all day and had gone back home to watch it on television. To see a guy from Augusta do it, it shows you, 'Hey I can do that.'""
Howell's dreams started to become a reality during the two years he spent at Oklahoma State, where he won the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship as a sophomore and was named college golfer of the year. As a rookie last season, Howell made 20 of 24 cuts and earned more than $1.7 million.
Known for his retro 1970s clothes'think Jesper Parnevik minus the pink pants'and booming drives, the 155-pound Howell has gained the respect of his peers for a work ethic that borders on maniacal. Most figure it's only a matter of time before Howell wins his first tour event.
""It's a compliment more than anything, comparisons to Tiger [Woods], that he should win,"" Howell said. ""If people were not saying that, they would not think I was any good at all. I really do believe that in my heart, I want to be the best golfer in the world.""
Currently 40th in the world rankings, Howell wouldn't mind his first win as a pro coming in his hometown, at one of the most revered courses and tournaments in the world. It would be something of a culmination that began here 15 years ago.
""My appreciation for the history of Augusta National probably is greater than the history of golf itself,"" said Howell, who will have dozens of friends and family members following him when he tees off Thursday at 11:04 a.m. EDT with three-time champion Gary Player and Jose Coceres of Argentina. ""The place is pretty special to me.\
