DAVID Howell will return to the course this morning looking to end a miserable first round at the Maybank Malaysian Open.

The Broome Manor pro was four-over-par in Kuala Lumpur at the 17th hole before storms in South East Asia brought the round to a premature end.

The 38-year-old went into the tournament hoping to improve on his last outing in Spain and, while he got off to a good start with birdies on the second and fourth it all started to go wrong.

Howell hit a double-bogey six on the six, a bogey four on eight followed by a bogey five on 12 leaving him two-over with six holes to play.

He then pulled a shot back on 16 only to card a shocking tripe-bogey seven on the penultimate hole before the heavens opened.

Once Howell has completed his final hole this morning, he is then due to be back out on the course for round two at 8.30am local time.

The clubhouse leader at the end of the opening day’s play was Lee Westwood on seven-under-par, one shot clear of Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.