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Charles Howell III shares the poorly out here. I see all my SPORTS A19
lead; Spieth stumbles to 76 buddies up t Friday 11 March 2016
here doing well and it feels
DOUG FERGUSON He picked up another bo- not fun to feel like you’re Jordan Spieth hits back onto the fairway on the 11th hole dur-
AP Golf Writer nus birdie on the par-5 11th on the outside looking in. ing the first round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) with a 45-foot putt. So I’ve been working the Thursday, March 10, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla.
— Charles Howell III saw a Howell, perhaps more than hardest in my career.”
news blurb that the Mas- any other player from the It was hard work at Innis- Associated Press
ters is a month away, and Augusta area, is linked to brook,
the Augusta native played the Masters. especially in the morning
Thursday like he wants to He hasn’t played the Mas- when the wind was at its
be there. ters since he tied for 19th strongest and only four out
In strong gusts that didn’t in 2012, and Georgia is on of 72 players managed to
subside until the final few his mind as the first major of break 70. Several players
hours of daylight, Howell the year gets closer. took advantage of calmer
played bogey-free and “Always this time of the conditions late in the day.
picked up two big birdies year, Chesson Hadley was one
on his way to a 4-under 67 the Masters’ carrot looms,” shot behind with a 68.
and a share of the lead Howell said. “When April Chez Reavie was bogey-
with Keegan Bradley and comes around it has a dif- free and joined Charley
Ken Duke in the Valspar ferent feel — at least for me Hoffman and Greg Yates
Championship. — than the other majors. So in the group at 69, while
“I was impressed I got when the Masters comes Martin Kaymer and Hen-
away with no bogeys,” around and I’m not in it, rik Stenson were among
Howell said. “It was nice to then it’s a bit of a wake-up those at 70.
get off to a good start here call or a kick in the rear to Only two dozen players
on a place like this. I’m not somehow make one last broke par, while five play-
sure what the rest of the push to try to get in it.” ers failed to break 80.
week will hold, but to actu- It’s not his desire alone, and
ally play a nice round on a Howell realizes that.
tough golf course is good He was happy to see Au-
for my confidence.” gusta resident Vaughn
Jordan Spieth wasn’t sure Taylor qualify by winning at
what to make of his day. Pebble Beach,
The defending champion
had to get up-and-down and Kevin Kisner (Aiken,
to save bogey four times South Carolina) qualify
on his opening seven holes, through a sensational 2015.
and he never recovered. He knows that the Masters
Spieth made only one bird- means as much to Scott
ie, played the final 11 holes Brown (Aiken) as him.
with 10 pars and a bogey “It’s not like it’s more spe-
and wound up with a 76. cial to me than anyone
He was nine shots behind else. Everyone feels that
and in danger of missing way about it,
the cut for the second time ” Howell said. “But yeah,
in three tournaments. it’s such a great event. It
“I got off to a poor start would be nice to somehow
and I was behind the eight find a way to get there.”
ball with gusty winds on a Howell likely would have to
tough golf course,” Spieth win a tournament because
said. he is No. 128 in the world,
Duke also played bogey- though he did consider
free and made birdies on one alternate route.
the two par 3s on the back “I may send my applica-
nine that were into the tion in for the Drive,
wind and over the water. Chip and Putt,” he said with
Bradley was the only player a laugh. “Maybe I can find
to reach 5 under on a day a spot in Tampa to try to
that featured 25 mph gusts, qualify. Just to get on the
which seem stronger be- grounds with golf clubs in
cause the Copperhead my hands would be great.”
course at Innisbrook is de- Bradley also needed a
manding in no wind at all. round like this.
Howell was in the penulti- He has missed the cut in four
mate group, and the wind of his five starts this year,
laid down for most of the and recently switched to a
back nine. new swing coach.
His play was solid through- Bradley’s last victory was
out, however, particularly at Firestone in August 2012.
the 4-iron into a left pin He has fallen to No. 88 in
that settled a foot from the the world.
cup on the par-3 eighth. “It’s been tough,” Bradley
said. “It’s no fun playing
