Showed good early season form.

Second in the Sony Open in Hawaii, runner-up to Tiger Woods at the Buick Invitational, won the Nissan Open, defeating Phil Mickelson in a sudden death play-off and at least made the cut at Oakmont. The Nissan was a second US Tour win for Augusta-born Howell who was rookie of the year in 2001 and is at last starting to live up to his early promise.

Can he win?

Well, he missed the cut at the AT&T National with a 73 and a shocking 77, but who predicted Ben Curtis in 2003 or Todd Hamilton in 2004. Not us that’s for sure and, given Carnoustie spares us the worst of its weather, he could be an attractive each way punt.