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AT&T CLASSIC

May 17, 2008

Charles Howell III

DULUTH, GEORGIA

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to thank Charles Howell for joining us for a few minutes here at the media center in the AT&T Classic. Nice solid round today. Obviously great position going into the final day. You played a Par 5, 10-under. Looked like you feel really comfort out there, driving the ball well, putting the ball well. Talk about that.
CHARLES HOWELL: The greens are, first of all, in fantastic shape. You know coming in here we had heard that, you know, the golf course looked rough. Obviously with the water restrictions in Georgia. And I think it's the opposite of that is true. The greens look absolutely fantastic. And, you know, consequently, because of that, if you get some opportunities you can take advantage of them.
And I think with that said I think even with some of the wind that we've played in and some of the bad weather you've seen some low scores because of that. You know, because guys are still able to hold some putts on the greens and I think the same will be true tomorrow.
THE MODERATOR: Questions please?

Q. What was clicking for you today, Charles?
CHARLES HOWELL: Well I just gave myself a lot of opportunities. I didn't -- you know, I didn't really go at any corner flags. I played fairly conservative into the greens. Knowing that the greens are rolling well enough to hole some putts. And I drove the ball well. I got in places where I could play from that. You know, not losing any shots off the tee is big, especially around this golf course.

Q. (No microphone.)
CHARLES HOWELL: Yeah, I mean as opposed to a lot of TPC golf courses. You don't hit a lot of drivers around here. There's a lot of holes that are 3- and 5-woods off the tee. You know, placing the ball. It definitely isn't a course where you just pound 14 drivers. I even hit 3-wood off the 18th tee.
There is some strategy and thought off the tees as well as into the greens. That's why I think it's so important to get the ball in play off the tee. Because there are a lot of play off the tee because there are a lot of slopes in these greens, you can use those to help you gut to the flags but you got to have the ball in play.

Q. The 20-somethings have won like nine tournaments this year. You got a couple 40-something guys staring at you, right behind you. Can you talk about what the 20-somethings have done this year, and obviously you'd like to join that crew?
CHARLES HOWELL: Well I think obviously the 20-somethings have played well.
I mean, frankly, I don't think age makes much of a difference out here. I think everybody can play. You know, we've seen guys of all age groups from Anthony Kim win to Paul Goydos almost winning The Players last week. I think age makes a heck of a story. I think it's -- but at the end of the day I don't any it means anything.
The golf ball sure doesn't know how old you are or how much experience you have or what you did last week or what you are going to do next week. And I guess it makes for a great story but frankly I don't think it means a thing.

Q. When was the last time you had a 54-hole lead?
CHARLES HOWELL: Couple nights ago, I was dreaming. (Laughing). Just playing The Masters, had an 18-shot lead. No, honestly, I don't know. Certainly hasn't been this year.

Q. (No microphone.)
CHARLES HOWELL: Okay, Sony Open '07.

Q. You had a 54-hole lead three times and finished second every time.
CHARLES HOWELL: Thanks. (Laughing). Yes, there's your answer. But, yeah, Sony Open last year, and finished second to Goydos.

Q. Charles, please don't be offend by this comparison, but I have covered the LPGA for a number of years and Lorena Ochoa was always in the hunt; a lot, a lot of top tens, a lot of top fives, but the big play was on Karrie Webb and Annika. Suddenly in the last 18 months she's broken through and is winning everything in sight. She was always right there. You have had two wins but been the contention a lot. Do you see a possible breakthrough like that happening for you and what would it take just to go another level up?
CHARLES HOWELL: Hopefully I can follow what Lorena has done. I am not offended by that at all. I'm quite flattered actually. What it will take is more consistency, consistently being there every week.
It's the tough. You see from Jim Furyk, Veejay Singh, those type players, obviously Tiger, but Phil Mickelson they're always there. Their names always find a way on Sunday to pop up on the leader board.
The one thing I've worked extremely hard on over the past year is driving the ball. Simply because that starts the hole. It puts you in position to play the golf course. And not taking anything away from the importance of short game, but you got to drive the ball first. And I spent a lot of time on that.
And, you know, so to get through to go to the next level or whatever you want to call it is I've just got to get that overall consistency in my game through everything. And I'm getting better at it. Getting there. And the results haven't quite shown this year, but I definitely feel like I'm getting closer.

Q. What are we talking here number wise, a half, a stroke a day or something that would take you -- any player from one level to the next?
CHARLES HOWELL: It's hard to say. It's more based on doing the one thing at the right time to get the momentum going or to keep it going.
For instance today -- a good example would be me birdieing the 10th hole I think. The fact I had gotten the ball up and down for par out of this bunker on 9 then I was able to get the ball up and down and birdie the 10th hole just to keep going. Whereas a case of, let's say, I don't get the ball up and down on 9 so I make bogey, then I don't make the putt on 10; now it's obviously a two-shot swing there. It's little things like that.
But being in the hunt and giving yourself the position of it is what matters the most. But it's tough you see Tiger do it all the time. He never loses momentum. He always finds a way of keeping it going.
THE MODERATOR: Let's go through your round. You made birdie on Par 5, Number 6. Is that your first birdie?
CHARLES HOWELL: Yeah. 6, driver 5-wood just left of the green, got up and down. 7, driver wedge to 2 feet and made birdie. 10, driver 3-wood, I had 60 yards left got that ball up and down for birdie. 15, up the hill I hit 3-wood, 8-iron to 15 feet, made birdie. 17, was driver wedge to 20 feet and holed that for birdie.

Q. I know you have won before. How cool would it be to come back to your home state and win? I mean, it's not the one you want obviously but it's not bad?
CHARLES HOWELL: First of all, I'll take any of them.
No, it would be great, obviously. We're a long, long way from that. And I love the place here. You know, Dave Kaplan was great to me in 2001 to give me an exemption to play here. And I'll never forget it.
I had -- I was playing at that time on conditional status so every dollar I made was a big deal. I had about a 40-foot putt for Eagle on 18. We finished on Monday that year. Awful weather, cold and windy. And my caddie at that time said, I bet you can't leave this putt short; because the flag was left and I was long right. I said, I'm worried about that water; I ain't worried about leaving it short. And I 2-putted there to finish 6 which helped me earn a lot towards earning my card. I've always remembered that.
And, yeah, I certainly hope they can find a sponsor to keep coming back here because it is a great place and I know that Atlanta loves their golf.

Q. Looking ahead to tomorrow with threesomes and starting on, you know, the 1st and 10th hole, it's going to be kind of like a Thursday and Friday. How do you kind of size that up as you look at tomorrow?
CHARLES HOWELL: You are right, it will be different. It's not the normal twosomes later in the day. From what I understand it's going to be quite windy. So, you know, which will be a tough day. And this golf course is really tough in the wind.
As far as it being in threesomes, I think everybody's just more packed up, more guys are always right there. And like will happen every Sunday it will happen again tomorrow; some guys will make a run; some guys will get it going.
There's a lot of birdie holes out here. So whatever gets it done tomorrow it will take a good number to do it.

Q. (No microphone.)
CHARLES HOWELL: Sure I do. Especially on this golf course. There's a lot of risk/reward out here. A lot of it. With the wind tomorrow, it will make it a bit more challenging. But there is, you know, if a guy does want to go out there and take a chance to play aggressive you can definitely get running.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Charlie.

End of FastScripts

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