This wasn’t quite a tradition unlike any other, but Charles Howell III rarely got through the early part of the year on the PGA Tour without being asked about the Masters. Plus, there’s no guarantee anyone at the Hong Kong Open this week will even ask Howell about what’s at stake. Winning the Hong Kong Open comes with an invitation to the Masters (and the British Open).
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Thiswasn’tquiteatraditionunlikeanyother,butCharlesHowellIIIrarelygotthroughtheearlypartoftheyearonthePGATourwithoutbeingaskedabouttheMasters.HegrewupinAugusta,Georgia,andnoothertournamentmeantmoretohim.
Nowthebigchangeisthecalendarandthescenery.Plus,there’snoguaranteeanyoneattheHongKongOpenthisweekwillevenaskHowellaboutwhat’satstake.
WinningtheHongKongOpencomeswithaninvitationtotheMasters(andtheBritishOpen).HowellispartofafieldwithaheavyinfluxofLIVGolfplayers,particularlythosewhoarenotalreadysecureforAugustaNationalorRoyalBirkdale.
WhatstandsoutaboutHowellishehasnotplayedanywherebutLIVGolfsincehejoinedtheSaudi-fundedleagueinJuly2022afterplayin
