PGA TOUR: OHL Mayakoba Classic top five sleeper picks
Charles Howell III has been taking paid vacations to Playa del Carmen for years. The 38-year-old PGA Tour veteran hasn’t missed the OHL Classic since 2009. In that span, he’s made seven cuts, six of which were inside the top-20.
Howell III posted his best OHL Classic with a T7 last year, the second of an impressive seven straight top-20s he had at the time. But, let’s talk about his more recent trend.
The Georgian hasn’t contended since he was solo second at July’s Quicken Loans National, but he’s coming off of a respectable Asian swing: T51 at the CIMB Classic, T19 at the CJ Cup and a T15 against an elite field at the WGC-HSBC Champions.
Howell III doesn’t rack up the birdies like a prototypical OHL Classic winner is prone to do, but his excellence in scrambling (25th last year) and putting (65th strokes gained, 12th in three-putt avoidance) make him a good bet to at least play all four rounds this week.
They say all good things are worth waiting for; a decade seems plenty long enough in keep a solid player like Howell III away from the winner’s circle. Chalk up a win for Chucky Three Sticks, or your money back!