The Masters Tournament isn't exactly the same as Charles Howell remembered in his dreams growing up in Augusta. The biggest difference for the hometown golfer is the decor in his bedroom.

"My childhood bed is in Orlando, now," Howell said. "It's all been redone. It's like a normal guest room. Things change and you move on."

The Masters, however, has remained the same old song ever since Howell began competing here in 2002. Rain ... stops ... starts ... stops again ... hanging around ... lurking ... waiting ... hoping for a better tomorrow.

"It's weird," Howell said of the rain delays that halted each of his first two rounds. "You never expect it to happen at Augusta. ... But this is my fourth Masters, and something similar has happened every year here."

Howell started the day on the No. 6 tee at even par and tied for 11th place. After finishing the final four holes of his first round and getting through two holes in his second, Howell fell to 2-over par and tied for 36th.

Howell bogeyed the short par-4 seventh and three-putted the par-5 second.

Most of the rest of the day was spent lounging with other players in the locker room, ordering lunch and watching arm wrestling on ESPN - "an indoor game with no rain delays."

"Food's good, service is good, so we're happy," Howell said.

Howell has been on the PGA Tour's rainy series since California. He played in the washout Nissan Open, the watered-down Accenture Match Play, the rain-marred Bay Hill Invitational and the drawn-out Players Championship.

In his past five events dating back nearly two months to Feb. 14, Howell has completed 10 competitive rounds.

At least this week, he says, is more comfortable for riding out the weather.

"It's actually better being at home," he said. "I don't have to go to a hotel or a rented house. I can just go home and relax and think about what I can do better the next day. I work out and do nothing, like I do all the time.

Even a Masters played in fits and starts thrills Howell.

"Hey, it's still Augusta and still a great place," he said. "That's just the way it goes."

Why does this keep happening?

"I don't know - global warming?" Howell said.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.