Q. A lot of guys have had trouble on 18. Can you talk about the challenge it might have at the end tomorrow?
CHARLES HOWELL III: 18 is a very interesting hole. I said on the first day that there are 17 great holes out there and 18 is an iffy. I said that because it's a long par 4, which is fine. But you can't hit driver off the tee, and, in fact, today, I hit 4-iron off the tee. I can't think of another finishing hole where I've hit a 4-iron off the last tee, if I wasn't just -- I can't think of one, actually, in a professional event.
Now, obviously, so you're forced to lay back far enough and then you've got a really long second shot, which is great which is fine, but I think you would like to see a hole where you had to get back there and hit a driver -- you know, I don't know. It's just the green has a lot of slope in it.
You know, my putt today was only about 25 feet for birdie and I thought I hit a great putt and still hit it six feet by. That is one heck of a finishing hole. If it comes down to that hole tomorrow, it will be interesting.
Q. (Inaudible.)
CHARLES HOWELL III: If they moved the tee farther back. The bunker on the right side fits it perfectly. I would just move the tee back another 40 yards. Then you could hit driver and you would still be down to the bottom. If you miss the fairway and the rough is up, you may or may not be able to get it over the creek for your second, you're going to have to lay back for your second, because, yeah, I would move the tee back.
Q. (Inaudible.)
CHARLES HOWELL III: The first day it was 293 to reach the creek and I hit 3-wood. It went 294. And then yesterday, I hit a very easy 3-wood but it was more into the wind. And today I hit 4-iron.
Yeah, it's firm, the fairway started to get a lot harder and the wind was maybe crossing. But that 4-iron was 280 yards. I hit a 4-iron 230, 235 and it went 280 there.
I'd just move the tee back. You see where that right bunker is placed, if you put a driver in your hand and you put that bunker right in play, the hole kind of shapes that way, oh, it's great. It would be fantastic.
It is a difficult hole. If you hit your ball in the middle of the fairway, there should not be a hazard there, especially at 290 downhill with that amount of slope in it.
Q. You mentioned about the upper crop staying here year after year, with this being a National Open, generally they move around in most cases. Just wondering what you would think about a smaller rotating circle, almost like what the British Open does, U.S. Open, they always have the set courses that they go to?
CHARLES HOWELL III: You know, the Masters doesn't move around and that's a hell of a golf course, you know. That's the way I look at it. You don't have to move around.
You know, this is a National Open. It deserves to be played on a very difficult golf course. It deserves to be played on a golf course where it doesn't take a lot under to win the tournament. I think I would be just fine if it stayed right here.
Now your other question, about a small rotating, that would be fantastic because they could put this in there, Glen Abbey. I hear the golf course we are going to next year in Vancouver is awesome. I'm sure what they are looking to do is something like that. I understand the U.S. Open does move around. Yeah, I understand that, but I just still think this is an awesome golf course. And I wish all of the ones, if you were to move around would be this difficult and were to play like this.
Q. (Inaudible.)
CHARLES HOWELL III: Oh, you can't imagine. You can't imagine. Golf courses are either deemed great or terrible in about two rounds. So you'd better be on the good side of that, because it comes really quickly.
You know, this golf course was deemed great early. It was destined for greatness. Yeah, golf courses are judged really quickly.
Q. The last upset about the course itself, I'm just wondering if today particularly, the wind seemed to be a factor, could you make talk about that a bit?
CHARLES HOWELL III: Yeah, the wind was definitely a factor this afternoon. I played a practice round here on Monday with absolutely zero wind all day and the golf courses still played difficult. But now with the way the holes are shaped and the way the wind has been blowing, it's very difficult.
For instance, the seventh hole is a strong dogleg-left and the fairway is to the right and the wind is off the west. What a perfect way for the wind to be to make that hole difficult. We would much rather see -- inaudible -- for the golf course to be playing difficult. The two par 5s have been playing with a little bit of helping wind, but only having two par 5s, I think that's fine. It gives you a chance to knock it on in two. The greens, such as 17, have a bunch of slope on it and there's no guarantee of birdie. You still have to drive the ball in the fairway.
I can't criticize any of it. I think it's great.
Q. (Inaudible.)
CHARLES HOWELL III: The wind, especially the trees. And it's not your big open expanse where they put 150,000 people and big mounds where you know the wind stays one direction all day. It moves around a bit, yeah.
Q. What do you know about Tanaka?
CHARLES HOWELL III: I know he's from Japan. (Laughter.) I know he's smaller than I am.
Q. How big is your waist?
CHARLES HOWELL III: I'm a 30. I wear a 31 in Lindeberg because they are so darned tight.
Q. Inaudible?
CHARLES HOWELL III: I know, I didn't see that. I know he's a long way. Yeah, I know he's a very nice guy. I've known him for a bit of time. I know he's a streaky player and I think today he's round problem showed that out. He got it going early and fell back at a bit and got it going at the end.
A streaky player like that can be dangerous, especially on a golf course like this. Because if he goes out on a hot streak and makes a bunch of birdies, it's hard to catch up on a course like this. Then again, it's easy to make bogeys out here, too. We'll see.
It should be interesting. Especially with this back nine with the slope of these greens, that should be great.
Q. With only one tour win, how would you feel about getting your second here?
CHARLES HOWELL III: Oh, it would be great. I would give my left arm to win this golf tournament. It's the Canadian Open; it is the country's National Open. If you look at the number of people out here watching this golf tournament from can Canada, it's fantastic, to see that there's this much golf interest in a country that's so driven by hockey and whatnot. To see that golf is big up here, it's saw awesome. I would love nothing more than to sit here tomorrow at this time having won the golf tournament.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Charles.
End of FastScripts.
