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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPAugust 22, 1996Charles Howell IIICORNELIUS, OREGON CRAIG SMITH: Charles, just basic impressions after playing somebody that you've read about and you're just about ready for. CHARLES HOWELL: I didn't lose 10 and 8 so I'm happy. He's awesome and I knew I would have to play really, really good to beat him. I played okay. I didn't play as good as I needed to play to beat Tiger Woods. That's pretty much the way it was. CRAIG SMITH: Is there any particular place where you thought there was a turning point or where it got away from you? CHARLES HOWELL: No real one place. It started with the first hole that I could have gone one up. And it was just pretty much the whole day. But there have been a few shots that could have changed it, but they didn't. CRAIG SMITH: You have thrived in other matches that I've known you and been with you, that you speak to yourself inside and say, don't get down on myself. Did you get down on yourself today at any point? CHARLES HOWELL: No, sir. I've obviously got nothing to lose to play Tiger. I'm 17 and he's supposed to win. I never got down. I kept trying. No reason to give up. Q. You're extremely poised out there. You're 17 years old. Did you feel any special pressure today going against Tiger? CHARLES HOWELL: No, not at all, really. I've played a couple of matches in the U.S. Junior, and this is my second U.S. Amateur. Last year I lost to Tim Jackson, who is a very good player. So, no. This is the first time I've played with him before, so it was fun. Q. You win this morning and all of a sudden you're thrown against the guy that's supposed to be the best amateur in America. You're starting to think, oh, my God, me and Tiger Woods and you have to say I'm going to go out and just play golf? CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, sir, I think so. You can't get wrapped up in being a spectator. So you have to focus on your own game. And I did that well today. You can't try to get in a driving contest with him. You just have to worry about your own thing. Q. You say you can't be a spectator, but what do you admire about his game? Do you find yourself admiring certain things he does? CHARLES HOWELL: He plays wonderful. He always has. He hits it long and putts really well. Q. What's the biggest crowd you've ever played in front of and what was it like to play in front of this crowd? CHARLES HOWELL: The biggest probably would have been my semifinal match here at Waverly when I was 14 at the U.S. Junior, or the final match in Flagstaff this year at the U.S. Junior. Q. How many, roughly? CHARLES HOWELL: A thousand, five hundred? CRAIG SMITH: Maybe 1,500. Q. You're kind of used to this? CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, it's great to play in front of people. It's fun, it keeps you fired up, so I enjoy it. Q. How about the sense with the crowd and the fact that you're playing Tiger Woods, biggest match of your life. Is there a different sense out there when you're playing someone like this? CHARLES HOWELL: A little bit, yes, sir. You have to play really good and match him shot for shot, if not better. So there's a different sense and a different kind of pressure. But there's nothing to lose. I was obviously the underdog. Q. Charles, you'll be a senior? CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, sir. I was a senior three days ago. Q. Do some summer work, did you? CHARLES HOWELL: No, none. Q. What's the name of your high school? CHARLES HOWELL: Westminster. Q. Is it in the city of Augusta or in the county? CHARLES HOWELL: City of Augusta. Q. Did it help you at all to play him in the afternoon round where you didn't have a lot of time to think about it, as opposed to sleeping on it overnight? CHARLES HOWELL: There probably wasn't a whole lot of difference. I thought about it some last night. If I had the opportunity to play him, I pretty much assumed he would win his morning match. Pretty much it was between me and Pat O'Brien who was going to play Tiger. I didn't take it any different than any other match. Just go out there and try to do your best. CRAIG SMITH: Charles, when you were in junior ranks, Tiger won three Junior titles. You reached the semifinals three times. Tiger lost twice when he first got to the Amateur and you've sort of paralleled that. What does your game need yet to boost up one more level? CHARLES HOWELL: No one particular thing. I'll keep working hard and keep trying to improve it. It's just the few shots or the few bounces that change the things. Q. Did you see Tiger play in The Masters the last couple of years, Charles? CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, sir, I tried to. The galleries were huge, though. Q. How do you get in? You know somebody? CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, sir. Q. You played the course? CHARLES HOWELL: Yes, sir. CRAIG SMITH: Thank you very much. End of FastScripts.... |
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