Charles Howell has come a very long way since the misery of his last Masters Tournament, but the memory still haunts him.

Howell tees off during practice at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After getting his long-awaited second PGA Tour win, Howell is gunning for a better performance at Augusta National. (Rainier Ehrhardt/Staff)

"I woke up the other night with a nightmare of the '06 Masters again," he said three weeks ago. "A lot of cold sweat, and I woke up, thank goodness."

Considering how much the Masters means to the 27-year-old native Augustan, Howell hasn't enjoyed sleeping on his rounds of 80 and 84 last April that earned him the distinction of finishing last among all starters.

Which explains his focus in the first three months of 2007. "Make the Masters or bust" might have been his motto.

"Easy to say it, harder to do it," Howell said of trying to gain late qualification through either the World Golf Ranking or money list. "After finishing second (in Hawaii), I got a little closer, but I still had a long way to go. It allowed me to never mentally let down."

Howell had dug himself a deep hole, slipping to 86th in the world before teeing off in his first event of the season. But his drive was unrelenting. Runner-up finishes in Hawaii and Torrey Pines made his goal attainable, and beating reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson in a playoff at Riviera in February sealed the deal.

"It wasn't so much a motivation to play the Masters as it was motivation not to miss the Masters," Howell said.

Charles Howell finished at the bottom of the field at last year's Masters after shooting rounds of 80 and 84. (Rainier Ehrhardt/Staff)

Currently one of the hottest golfers on the PGA Tour and ranked among the top 15 in the world, Howell returns for his sixth consecutive Masters as more than just a player seeking redemption from a bad performance. He returns as a viable contender in a tournament he wants to win more than any other.

The potential for a worst-to-first turnaround much like the Atlanta Braves of 1991 is a reasonable consideration.

"It would be a heck of a story; I hope I can write it for you," Howell said. "It's just nice to go in there with some confidence and some momentum. Of all four majors, momentum means more at the Masters than the other ones." Howell has been trying to build momentum for four years, ever since his initial PGA Tour victory late in 2002 at the Michelob Championship. But every chance he had to add to his victory total was stopped at the door.

Ten times Howell finished second since that lone win, including four since last year's Masters debacle. When he let one slip away to Paul Goydos in Hawaii and then came up just short of Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines, the frustration mounted.

But with a gutsy putting performance in the final round of the Nissan Open, Howell earned his breakthrough second win that freed him from his frustrations.

"I think I'm probably the poster boy - if you get enough second places, you will eventually win," he said.

Howell's turnaround didn't happen by accident. Always a tireless worker on the range, Howell struggled in 2006 trying to find himself and his game. He experimented with new instructors before returning to the comfort of his longtime coach, David Leadbetter. Together they built a new game plan, reinforcing the swing that made him such a promising young player while dedicating more time to the short game and putting.

Howell's breakthrough has him poised to be the contender everyone expected him to be when he turned pro after winning the 2000 NCAA title in record fashion.

"Obviously he's worked on his technique, and his technique has gotten better," said Woods, Howell's friend and the top-ranked player in the world. "Once you can prove to yourself that it works down the stretch, you know, then basically the lid is off."

With that lid off, Howell hopes to bring closure to his worst experience at a place he cherishes. He said he doesn't return to Augusta National Golf Club with any scar tissue, only valuable lessons.

"There's been a lot of golf between then and now, but I can hold my head high because I've worked hard. I didn't leave any wonderings of should I have done this or that. I'm looking forward to going back. For no reasons from last year, but just because I'm playing better and I like the way my game is progressing going into it."

Now comes the chance to convert his nightmares to sweet dreams.

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