Howell hopes to end long drought

– American Charles Howell, who hasn’t won a PGA title since 2007, fired a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to grab a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the RSM Classic.

The 39-year-old won his first PGA crown in 2002 at Kingsmill and his next in 2007 at Riviera.

But he hasn’t since, his nearest misses coming with play-off losses in 2013 at the Humana Challenge and last year’s National at TPC Potomac. –

Washington