MICHELOB CHAMPIONSHIP AT KINGSMILL

October 7, 2001

Charles Howell III

CHARLES HOWELL: Well, thank you. Today was a good day. I started off a little slow; not as quit as I would have liked to, but I parred both the par 5s on the front nine which is definitely nothing -- nothing I don't like to do. I birdied most of the par 5s all this week and -- but there -- at the end, got my putting back a little bit better made a few putts coming in.

CHARLES HOWELL: Well, as of this event here I am 39 on the money list and 65 in the world. And obviously fourth place I think is 168,000, if I end up finishing that way, basically hope that will jump me up a few spots on the money list closer to the top-30. With the world rankings obviously that will move me up in there a little bit as well. Top 50 in the world or top-30 on the money list, both is, you know, both will do about the same thing.

CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, I would. If I were to get in the top-30 I am eligible to play THE TOUR Championship, that's the new rule by the Tour that was passed a couple of weeks ago at the Bell Canadian Open where if a non-member earns money equal to the top-30, then he can play THE TOUR Championship.

CHARLES HOWELL: Oh, that will be huge. That was my No. 1 goal starting this year. Apart from getting my status for next year was to play THE TOUR Championship so that would -- yeah, that would be huge. I have always said I wanted to play in the Masters being from Augusta, and going to The Masters quite a lot but THE TOUR Championship which will also gets me to the Masters would be pretty special.

CHARLES HOWELL: Oh, yeah, it's getting closer. My goal's the top-30; I need to have another Top 5 finish coming in, but obviously every one you get obviously helps so it's getting closer and closer.

CHARLES HOWELL: That's correct.

CHARLES HOWELL: Oh thank you. I started this year earlier in Australia and didn't have any status out here, and you know, it's not easy to play your way out here obviously. I spent a lot of time working hard on my game. I think a lot of incentive I had was the fact after the Tour school last year and Tour School is not fun at all. It's not a good experience. It's not designed to promote anything positive whatsoever and it's just really not. You go there expecting to make it through and if you do make it through, that's what you are expected to do. If you don't then you failed, so, nothing positive comes from Tour School. Unless you like the hotel your staying at or if the food is good. I think that was a lot of incentive and motivation as well to not have to do that again.

CHARLES HOWELL: Well, I will phrase things honestly. I will just tell you ain't nothing positive comes from Tour School. I think maybe if you are a cinderella story who is coming through, maybe like a Robert Landers who got through in the SENIOR TOUR or maybe somebody who doesn't expect to play on Tour just really kind of for a shot in the dark if they get through then it is a great, positive, uplifting, great experience. If not -- I know I went there last year, not knowing I was going to go to Tour School because I had assumed the top 150 would put me in the finals stages and conditional status for the following year, but when I heard about that rule where I had to go to second stage, then really nothing positive. I missed by two shots there and it wasn't fun.

CHARLES HOWELL: Sure.

CHARLES HOWELL: Oh, sure, I think so. I have always been a firm believer that you can do whatever you want to do in life. When I was -- I started golf when I was 7. When I was 10 all I heard was that you are too small, you are never going to make it, you don't hit it far enough. Then I heard the same 11, 12, 13, I am still not big now, but obviously I worked really hard at it and I love what I do. I think with those two things you can do whatever you want to. Be it golf or whatever.

CHARLES HOWELL: Yes.

CHARLES HOWELL: You know I was actually kind of excited to be honest with you. I have always been one of those eye for an eye type people, and no, I was, you know, I think it's good to see that the country doesn't let over and accept that. I think when you are on airplanes and our World Trade Center which was the target of our economy which makes America so great; then run into the Pentagon, I think then you have something coming back. I was excited to see that. Actually put a little jump in my step to be quite honest with you.

CHARLES HOWELL: I was on the fourth green and there was a leaderboard right behind the green when I saw that.

CHARLES HOWELL: Oh sure. There's always something new to learn and with I have learned how important driving the ball is out here. I have learned the importance of patience, that a day like today I was 8-under par for the tournament through seven holes, and around maybe 9th 10th place I hung in there; was able to make a few birdies coming down; I will finish third or fourth. I think out here, I think patience is so important. More so really anybody can realize because 11-under par, you know, I mean four solid rounds anybody out here can shoot 11-under par, but I think the key is the patience level and it's not trying to press too hard and make miracles happen. Accepting it when you can make birdie and accepting the par and take advantage of chances when you have it. I think too many times and even last year one thing I have learned from last year is I try to force things. You try start out like a house of fire birdieing from the first hole and then if you don't, then you get frustrated and down. I have learned that. I have learned not to look at leaderboards. I know leaderboards, nothing positive comes out of those as well. That if you look at a leaderboard and you are in good position, you may get a little bit you know, you may try to relax a little bit where if you look up there and then you are a little back you might try to press too hard. I don't think anything good comes from leaderboards and they are everywhere.