Augusta native Charles Howell to play hometown tournament for first time since 2012

Charles Howell still remembers his favorite memory at the Masters Tournament. It was 2002, and the Augusta native was surrounded on the first tee by a healthy gathering of family, friends and patrons.

“I remember hitting the first tee shot, something you’re excited for but want to get over, all at the same time,” he said. “I was nervous, anxious, scared, excited. Somewhere in the middle of that I hit a golf ball. I somehow squibbed it up the left side of the fairway.”

Howell went on to play at Augusta National Golf Club seven more times in the next decade, but he had not qualified for his favorite event since 2012. That changed in November when he played some of the finest golf of his career to win the RSM Classic at Sea Island, Ga.

Did he wonder if he would ever make it back to Augusta?

“Absolutely,” Howell said. “In this game you never know. And honestly, yeah, I found all kinds of ways to just miss out on qualifying for that golf tournament. You wonder if you’ll ever get back there.”

He and his wife, Heather, have made Orlando, Fla., their home for nearly two decades. They have two children, Ansley Grace (8) and Chase (7), that are now old enough to appreciate the Masters experience.

“I think I’ll enjoy this one a little bit more than other Masters in the past,” Howell said. “My kids are a bit older and we’ll do the Par-3 thing and all that. That stuff will matter more than it could have or would have in the past.”

His parents came to see him play at Bay Hill, and are looking forward to Masters Week.

“It’s always his goal every year to play well enough to get in the Masters,” his father said. “He’s had a good year so far and he’s back again. As a family we are all excited and happy to have him come home to play.”

Howell’s third PGA Tour win was his first since 2007, which spanned 11 years, 9 months and 333 starts. His last time at Augusta National was nearly seven years ago. He hasn’t played the course since 2012, even though he has numerous connections that could get him on.

“That’s a place that’s really special to me and I want to feel like I’ve earned the right and deserve to be out there,” Howell said earlier this year.

Howell punched his ticket back to his hometown with a pair of 64s to open at Sea Island. Rounds of 68 and 67 put him in a tie with Patrick Rodgers, who finished with rounds of 61 and 62 to mark the best closing 36-hole score in PGA Tour history.

In a sudden-death playoff, Howell beat Rodgers with a birdie on the second extra hole.

Howell was a hotshot junior player and celebrated college golfer who was labeled as a can’t-miss player when he turned pro in 2000. He racked up earnings and top-10 finishes, but only won twice in more than 500 PGA Tour starts before finally ending his victory drought.

Howell finds it “incredible” that he will turn 40 in June, and it is he who is now marveling at the younger generation.

“A big lesson I took from (the win) is how good the players are today,” he said. “This generation coming up, just how good they are, so the motivation is there to keep working and keep finding ways to get better. I still want to be competitive. Obviously, I’m in the latter part of my career. I still love playing and competing. It was a big motivator.”

With his spot in the Masters assured, Howell played well through the West Coast portion of the schedule and moved into the top 50 in the world. That has enabled him to play in World Golf Championship events and help with his preparation for Augusta.

He is still hopeful that he can get in some more wins. And, perhaps, create a new favorite memory from the Masters.

“I’d like to find a way to keep playing well,” he said. “I’d love to have another chance or two to win a golf tournament come late Sunday afternoon. That’s just a blast, and just a whole lot of fun to do that.”