DUBLIN, Ohio – This week’s Memorial Tournament is Charles Howell III’s 17th start in the event. Actually, it’s his 18th start at Muirfield Village, counting last week’s add-on tournament, and it’s a familiarity he embraces.
“I feel like I'm a non-resident junior member here at Muirfield,” he joked Thursday at the Memorial. “From a member's point of view, they definitely firmed things up today quite a bit more than I thought they could.”
The faster and firmer conditions didn’t seem to be a problem for Howell on Day 1 after he opened with a 3-under 69 to grab an early share of second place.