Charles Howell III
Charles Howell III (born June 20, 1979) is an American professional golfer who currently competes on LIV Golf, having previously maintained a prolonged career on the PGA Tour marked by exceptional consistency.[1][2][3] Turning professional in 2000 following a standout amateur tenure at Oklahoma State University, Howell earned PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors in 2001 and secured three victories—the 2002 Michelob Championship, 2007 Nissan Open, and 2019 RSM Classic—while accumulating over 90 top-10 finishes and approximately $42 million in earnings across 609 starts.[2][4][5] Nicknamed "Chucky Three Sticks" for his putting prowess, he transitioned to LIV Golf in 2022 seeking a reduced schedule to prioritize family, forgoing eligibility for major championships thereafter, though his career underscores reliability over flashes of dominance in a highly competitive field.[5][6]Early Life and Amateur Career
Family Background and Upbringing
Charles Howell III was born on June 20, 1979, in Augusta, Georgia, to Dr. Charles Howell Jr., a pediatric surgeon who served as chief of pediatric surgery at the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University) and performed an estimated 16,000 surgeries over a 40-year career, and his wife, Debbie Howell.[7][3][8][9] He has a younger brother, Ben.[3] Raised in a devout Christian family in Augusta—the site of the annual Masters Tournament—Howell grew up immersed in golf culture, with proximity to Augusta National Golf Club shaping his early passion for the sport.[10] Introduced to golf at age seven by a neighbor, he became a member of the adjacent Augusta Country Club, where his mother routinely transported him after school for practice sessions that extended into the evening.[5][11] By age 12, the family committed to his development by undertaking monthly seven-hour drives from Augusta to Orlando, Florida, for specialized coaching under David Leadbetter.[3] This supportive environment, bolstered by his father's medical discipline and the family's willingness to prioritize his training, laid the foundation for Howell's transition from junior golf to collegiate success.[12]Junior Golf Achievements
Charles Howell III established himself as one of the premier junior golfers in the United States during the mid-1990s, particularly through his performances in American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) events. He secured eight AJGA tournament victories between 1992 and 1996, tying for the second-most career wins in the organization's history at the time, behind only Phil Mickelson's record of twelve.[13][14] Howell's dominance earned him the prestigious 1996 Rolex Junior Player of the Year award, recognizing him as the top male junior golfer in the nation.[15][16] He was also named a Rolex Junior All-American four times, highlighting his consistent excellence among the nation's elite young players.[15] At age 17, Howell gained early exposure to professional competition by qualifying for and playing in the 1996 Buick Challenge, a PGA Tour event held at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, where he competed as an amateur.[17] This participation underscored his precocious talent and readiness for higher-level golf, bridging his junior successes to an impending collegiate career.College Career at Oklahoma State
Charles Howell III attended Oklahoma State University, competing for the Cowboys men's golf team from 1998 to 2000.[16] As a sophomore in 1999, he earned first-team All-American honors.[18] In the spring of that year, Howell won the Big 12 Conference individual championship by 10 strokes, contributing to Oklahoma State's team success in the conference.[19] During his junior season in 2000, Howell achieved his most notable accomplishments, securing first-team All-American recognition for the second consecutive year and receiving both the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award and the Fred Haskins Award as the outstanding collegiate golfer.[16] He captured the NCAA Division I individual championship at the 2000 event held at the Grand National Golf Club in Auburn, Alabama, posting a tournament-record score of 23-under-par (265), which surpassed the previous mark by three strokes.[20] Howell's performance also propelled the Oklahoma State team to the NCAA title with a 17-shot margin of victory over second-place Wake Forest, marking the program's third national championship and the first individual-player sweep since 1970.[21] Following these triumphs, Howell decided to forgo his senior year and turned professional in June 2000.[22] His collegiate record established him as one of Oklahoma State's premier golfers, later earning induction into the university's Hall of Honor in 2024 alongside other Cowboy alumni.[23]Amateur Victories and Recognition
Howell dominated the Southern Junior Championship, securing victories in 1994, 1995, and 1996, which established the event's record for most wins by a single player.[24] By age 11, he had already claimed five junior tournament titles, culminating in his recognition as the 1996 American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Player of the Year and three-time AJGA All-American.[22] In the 1996 U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Howell achieved the tournament's record for the longest 24-hole match victory, defeating Jeff Golliher in the first round.[25] These accomplishments highlighted his early prowess in match play against top amateurs. At Oklahoma State University, Howell won the 2000 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship individual title with a record 23-under-par score of 265, while leading the Cowboys to the team championship.[22][23] He earned three-time All-American honors and received the Fred Haskins Award as the nation's top collegiate golfer that year, along with the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award.[23][16] These achievements underscored his status as one of the premier amateurs prior to turning professional in 2000.Professional Career
Transition to Professional Golf
Charles Howell III turned professional in 2000 immediately following his college career at Oklahoma State University, where he had won the NCAA individual championship in 1999 and earned All-American honors multiple times.[2][26] As a top-ranked amateur, including finishes as low amateur in events like the 1998 U.S. Open, he received Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour, bypassing the traditional Qualifying School process.[27] This status permitted him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions and retain earnings toward full membership, a pathway afforded to elite amateurs transitioning to the professional ranks.[17] In his debut professional season, Howell competed in 11 PGA Tour events, making the cut in seven and recording a tie for 10th at the FedEx St. Jude Classic as his best finish.[27] These performances accumulated sufficient earnings—exceeding $100,000—to secure conditional status for 2001, and by season's end, he earned full exempt status through the PGA Tour's money list rankings among non-members.[2] His rapid ascent culminated in being named the 2001 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, reflecting the tour's recognition of his immediate competitiveness despite the absence of prior professional seasoning.[28]Early PGA Tour Years (2000-2005)
Howell turned professional on June 26, 2000, immediately after his college season at Oklahoma State University. In a limited schedule of six events under special temporary membership status, he made the cut in seven of eleven official PGA Tour starts, highlighted by a solo third-place finish at the John Deere Classic.[16] Without full exempt status entering 2001, Howell competed primarily via sponsor exemptions and amassed $1,520,632 in non-member earnings, the highest on Tour, while finishing seventh on the official money list with $1,684,986 overall.[16][29] His strong play, including a runner-up finish in a sudden-death playoff at the Greater Milwaukee Open to Shigeki Maruyama, earned him PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors and full playing privileges for 2002.[16][29] Howell secured his maiden PGA Tour victory in 2002 at the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, closing with a 67 to win by two strokes in his 68th career start.[16] Earlier that year, he tied the Waialae Country Club course record with a second-round 62 en route to a tie for fourth at the Sony Open in Hawaii and debuted at the Masters Tournament with a tie for 29th; he closed the season runner-up at the TOUR Championship. These performances yielded $2,702,747 in earnings and a ninth-place money list ranking.[16] In 2003, Howell lost a playoff to Mike Weir at the Nissan Open for his second runner-up of the campaign, finished three strokes behind Chad Campbell for another second at the TOUR Championship, and tied for tenth at the PGA Championship to clinch a berth on the United States Presidents Cup team.[16] He surpassed $2 million in seasonal earnings for the second consecutive year.[27] Howell's consistency continued in 2004 with a tie for 13th at the Masters and a second-place finish at the Booz Allen Classic, where he shot a personal-best 61 to set the TPC Avenel course record.[16] The following year, he tied for second at the Buick Invitational, three strokes behind Tiger Woods, underscoring his growing contention in elite fields during this formative professional phase.[16]Mid-Career PGA Tour Performance (2006-2015)
During 2006–2015, Charles Howell III maintained consistent PGA Tour status through reliable play, amassing multiple top-10 finishes annually while earning over $1 million each season as part of a 20-year streak of seven-figure income.[30] His most notable achievement came in 2007, when he won the Nissan Open in a playoff over Phil Mickelson after trailing by three strokes entering the final round, marking his second career PGA Tour victory.[2] That year also featured runner-up finishes at the Buick Invitational and T2 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, propelling him to a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 15th on March 26.[31][32] Outside of 2007, Howell secured no further wins but demonstrated steadiness, including six top-10 results in 2010 across 28 starts, where he made 23 cuts.[16] He reached playoffs twice more in the period, losing the 2013 Humana Challenge to Brian Gay and David Lingmerth.[2] In major championships, performances were solid but not elite, with top-20 finishes such as T13 at the 2006 U.S. Open and T15 at the 2007 PGA Championship, though he missed cuts in several others, including the 2006 Masters and 2012 U.S. Open.[33][34] Howell's mid-career output reflected strong ball-striking and course management, contributing to his accumulation of top-10 finishes—placing him among the tour's leaders in such results since 2006—yet elusive putting and closing in contention limited breakthroughs beyond 2007.[35] This era underscored his reputation for durability in a field featuring dominant players like Tiger Woods and emerging talents, with over 200 starts yielding steady FedEx Cup points and retention of full status without reliance on qualifiers.[2]Later PGA Tour Years and Consistency (2016-2021)
During the 2016 PGA Tour season, Howell demonstrated improved consistency by securing five top-10 finishes across 25 starts, making the cut in 21 events, with his strongest result a tie for fourth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His performance yielded official earnings of $1,974,962.[36] In 2017, Howell continued his steady form, highlighted by a runner-up finish in a playoff loss to Jon Rahm at the Quicken Loans National, where he posted rounds of 66-66-68-65 to reach 19-under par before a bogey on the second extra hole. He earned $2,587,133 that season, reflecting multiple strong showings amid 28 starts.[36] The 2018 season marked a career highlight with Howell's third PGA Tour victory at The RSM Classic on November 18, where he defeated Patrick Rodgers in a playoff after both finished at 19-under 263; Howell birdied the par-4 18th in the second extra hole with a 15-foot putt. Despite the win, his overall earnings totaled $2,081,324 across 27 starts, underscoring persistent contention without additional triumphs that year.[37][36] From 2019 to 2020, Howell maintained reliable play with earnings consistently above $1.5 million annually, bolstered by frequent top-25 finishes in a schedule disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, though specific top-10 counts remained modest compared to peak years. His FedExCup ranking hovered in the top 70 during the 2019-20 season.[38] By the 2020-21 season, encompassing 2021 events, Howell's consistency waned slightly, making only 14 cuts in 21 starts and finishing 139th in the FedExCup standings—the first time he missed the playoffs in the system's 15-year history—amid earnings reflecting fewer high placements.[38] This period overall solidified Howell's reputation for durability, with annual earnings exceeding $2 million from 2016-2018 and a career total approaching $40 million by 2021, driven by methodical ball-striking and putting rather than frequent victories.[36]Decision to Join LIV Golf
Charles Howell III, a PGA Tour veteran with over 600 starts and three victories spanning 22 years, announced his departure from the tour to join LIV Golf on July 20, 2022, ahead of the league's third invitational event at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster from July 29 to 31.[39][40] At the time, Howell ranked 169th in the Official World Golf Ranking and held PGA Tour membership through the top 125 in FedEx Cup points, with additional career money list exemptions securing at least three more full seasons of status.[40] His move aligned with LIV Golf's expansion during its inaugural season, joining alongside Jason Kokrak and Henrik Stenson to complete the field, and resulted in an expected suspension from PGA Tour events, including the FedEx Cup playoffs.[39][41] In a press conference at Bedminster, Howell emphasized that financial incentives played no role in his decision, stating, "Money was not a factor."[40][41] Instead, he cited the appeal of LIV Golf's innovative format, including shorter 54-hole events without cuts, the team competition element, and the opportunity for renewed excitement after two decades of PGA Tour routine.[40] He joined Crushers GC, captained by Bryson DeChambeau and including Paul Casey and Shaun Norris, expressing enthusiasm for the collaborative team dynamic and global travel schedule as a means to extend his competitive career at age 43.[40][41] Howell also drew personal motivation from watching his young son compete in junior golf, which reinvigorated his own passion for the sport.[40] Reflecting in April 2024, Howell reiterated that the decision "was never about the money," affirming his commitment to LIV Golf's exclusive schedule and expressing no regrets after forgoing PGA Tour events, majors, and U.S. Open qualifying attempts in subsequent years.[6] He praised LIV commissioner Greg Norman's vision of golf as a unifying force, underscoring a preference for the league's structure over returning to the PGA Tour's demands.[6] Despite earning over $42 million on the PGA Tour with a 76% cut-making rate across 609 events, Howell described his LIV transition as a deliberate pivot toward a fresh competitive environment rather than financial necessity.[41][6]LIV Golf Era (2022-Present)
Charles Howell III joined LIV Golf in July 2022, during the league's inaugural season, signing as an unrestricted free agent after competing primarily on the PGA Tour.[6] He aligned with Crushers GC, a team captained by Bryson DeChambeau, transitioning from a schedule of approximately 30 PGA Tour events per year to LIV's more condensed format of 14 regular-season events plus a team championship.[3] This move allowed Howell greater flexibility for family commitments, a benefit he highlighted as unavailable during his PGA Tour tenure.[42] In his debut LIV season, Howell posted consistent results, including multiple top-20 individual finishes, contributing to Crushers GC's strong team performances amid the league's 54-hole, no-cut format with shotgun starts.[3] He carried this reliability into 2023, securing his sole LIV individual victory at the season-opening event in Mayakoba, Mexico, on February 5, 2023, where he finished at 12-under par to edge out Paul Casey and earn $4 million in prize money, also boosting Crushers GC's early momentum.[43] Howell maintained top-10 contention in several subsequent events that year, underscoring his ball-striking precision and putting consistency adapted to LIV's team-oriented scoring. Through the 2025 season, Howell ranked among the league's steadier performers, achieving top-20 finishes in four of his five most recent events prior to mid-season, including a tied fifth in Dallas and 22nd in the individual standings.[44] A highlight came at LIV Golf Korea on May 4, 2025, where he finished solo second at 17-under par, holing key birdies but falling one stroke short of DeChambeau's winning 18-under, securing $2.25 million.[45] His career LIV earnings exceeded $27 million across 43 events as of August 2025, reflecting both prize money and team bonuses without a second individual title.[46] Howell's tenure has emphasized endurance over peak contention, leveraging his experience from over 600 PGA Tour starts to navigate LIV's distinct structure.[3]Playing Statistics and Records
PGA Tour Career Summary
Charles Howell III turned professional in 2000 and competed full-time on the PGA Tour until 2022, amassing 609 starts over 22 seasons without ever losing his playing status.[2] He secured three victories: the 2002 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, the 2007 Nissan Open, and the 2018 RSM Classic, with his final win ending a 4,208-day drought between triumphs.[2] Known for consistency rather than dominance, Howell III made 467 cuts (76.8% cut-making rate) and recorded 49 top-5 finishes alongside 98 top-10 results, placing him among the tour's most reliable performers in achieving contention without frequent conversions to wins.[2] His career playoff record stood at 1-5, highlighting near-misses in high-stakes scenarios.[2]| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Starts | 609 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Top-5 Finishes | 49 |
| Top-10 Finishes | 98 |
| Cuts Made | 467/609 |
| Career Earnings | $42,025,458 |
Results in Major Championships
Charles Howell III has competed in more than 50 major championships across his professional career, spanning from 2001 to recent years, but has yet to record a victory or a top-five finish. His sole top-10 result occurred at the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, where he tied for 10th with a score of 2-under par.[26][5][31] Despite earning 98 top-10 finishes in PGA Tour events overall, Howell's major record reflects limited contention, with frequent missed cuts and mid-pack results attributed to the heightened pressure and field strength of these events.[26][31]| Major Championship | Best Finish | Year(s) of Best Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T13 | 2004 |
| U.S. Open | T18 | 2002 |
| The Open Championship | T28 | 2011 |
| PGA Championship | T10 | 2003 |