Charles Howell gets better every year in the Masters Tournament, but the Augusta native will be quick to tell you that it's not good enough, even for a 24-year-old on the front end of his career.

"It's getting there," Howell said after shooting a career-best 70 in the final round to finished tied for 13th at even-par 288. "I've gone from 29th to 28th to wherever I finished now. Hopefully I can keep moving up that way. I'm getting closer to where I want to be. I'm getting closer to that top spot. I'm not there yet."

Howell is proving more and more to be a quality major championship golfer, with nine consecutive cuts made and seven top-30 finishes. In his past two majors, he tied for 10th at the PGA Championship and tied for 13th at the Masters. He shot three rounds under par on a gruelling Augusta National course.

The only thing lacking from his major résumé is the experience of being in the midst of the hunt on Sunday.

"If there is disappointment, it's that I didn't play better on Saturday to be in the thick of things today," He said. "I felt after Friday at 2-under that I was pretty darned close in the third to last group with Phil (Mickelson). It is close. Hopefully that will come."

Even though he's young and has only three Masters under his belt, Howell isn't ready to accept the patient path to major validation that Mickelson trod. Howell is a newer model golfer in the post-Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) era who understands that majors aren't handed out as lifetime achievements. They can be won just as easily up front without all the hassles of being labeled the best player without a major.

"I want to win the golf tournament today," Howell said. "I don't want to win the golf tournament 10 years from now. I may not be on this earth 10 years from now."

For the second straight year, Howell put himself among the top 10 players in the field heading into the weekend. Each time he's fired a third-round 76 to siphon any real hopes of contending for a green jacket on Sunday.

"Obviously yesterday was disappointing and costly, but I can't do anything about that other than do my best to invent a time travel machine," he said.

Howell has a unique perspective that comes from a place among golf's elite. The notion of gathering lessons after 10 career majors is not appealing.

"There are no learning experiences," Howell said. "Define a learning experience besides getting your butt kicked, making bogeys or not playing well. You just work hard, play golf and see where that leads you.

"Why does there have to be a learning curve? If you want to tell yourself, 'When I'm 35 I'll have the experience to win,' fine. It doesn't have to be that way. You can tell yourself there is a learning curve and you can lean on that crutch if you want to, but you don't have to if you don't want to. Look at what Tiger (Woods) did. Would anybody have thought he'd have done what he did at this time? He didn't believe there was a learning curve. To hell with a learning curve, quite frankly."

Howell entered Sunday's round 2-over par and eight strokes behind leaders Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) and Chris DiMarco (Stats | Bio) . He wanted to shoot in the 60s for the first time in the Masters on Sunday but had to settle for 70 after going 3-under on the final six holes.

His play has turned around since shooting four straight subpar 71s at Bay Hill three weeks ago to finish 15th, and another good performance at the Masters could trigger better things for the rest of 2004 and the other three majors.

"Everything about my game is better," he said.

The next Masters begins in 360 days, and Howell is guaranteed a place in the field based on his finish. Howell lives for the Masters every year, comparing the event to Christmas because of the inevitable letdown after it's over and the long wait for the next Masters to come around. It's his favorite week of the year and his toughest week all in one.

"I would love to be able to see this tournament from the perspective of not being from Augusta and see what that felt like," Howell said.

"It would be neat to hop in the body of someone else and see this tournament from another perspective. Unfortunately, I haven't invented that machine either."

He has built a better game for himself under major conditions, and he hopes that will pay off soon enough.

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