2005 gets even better for Howell with HSBC victory
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2005 HSBC Champions Tournament | Wrap | 13 Nov 2005
David Howell’s win at the HSBC Champions event has put the icing on what has been a fairly substantial cake in 2005. Not only did he win, but by beating Tiger Woods to the line, he has finally emerged from the status as one of the better players in Europe to now one of the best.
This event may come as part of season 2006 on the European Tour but to all intents and purposes when Howell looks back on this victory he will consider it as very much part of his breakthrough year in 2005.
Until this season there had been just one victory on the European Tour for the 30-year-old but this season the second victory finally came at the BMW Championship and given the number of times he was putting himself in contention, it was only a matter of time before he broke through again.
Eleven top tens in 2005 thus far and his best ever season in Europe, where he finished 7th on their money list, has Howell excited about what he achieved in China and what lies ahead.
“Obviously I am quite pleased with myself – the way I handled myself and that I was able to come out on top. It was a massive learning experience for me today and hopefully it can really help me in the future.”
Howell has hardly been a prolific winner of titles in golf although he has been a big earner. In 1999 he won the Dubai Classic when he ran away with the title by four shots, that win coming just a few months after his first victory as a professional, which came at the famed New South Wales Golf Club when he took out the MasterCard PGA Championship.
Since that win he has been runner up six times including twice in 2005. When he got the chance today he was not about to let it go this time. He got just the start he would have dreamed about overnight with three birdies in the first five holes and before he knew it his lead was by four over Woods who he had started one ahead of.
When they walked from the 18th hole Howell had won by three and he had made a huge start to season 2006, the first prize here of €704,000 giving him a flying start on the 2006 Order of Merit.
Woods finished runner up for the second week in a row following his runner up finish to Bart Bryant last week in Atlanta. Woods now heads to Japan for the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament while Howell heads to Portugal to team with Luke Donald for England at the World Cup.
Nick O’Hern and Nick Dougherty tied for third, three shots behind Woods and earned substantial cheques in the process. O’Hern secured €237995, one of the biggest cheques he has earned behind those at the French Open and German Masters last year.
Other Australasians were Michael Campbell who was 10th, Peter O’Malley 15th, Steve Bowditch 19th, Richard Green 36th, Craig Parry 40th, Terry Pilkadaris 42nd, Euan Walters 49th, Adam Le Vesconte and Scott Strange 54th, and Brett Rumford 65th.
The European Tour now heads to Portugal for the World Cup of Golf.
Photo – Anthony Powter
