DAVID Howell looks destined to miss the cut at the Irish Open after he could only post a level par 71 in today’s second round.

The damage was done for Howell yesterday, with the Swindon ace shooting 77 to finish the first round six over par.

Broome Manor pro Howell needed an exceptional performance on Friday to give him a chance of making the weekend and, teeing off at the tenth, started perfectly with a two under par front nine.

He pulled back another shot on the first – his 10th – to get back to three under for the day and three under overall.

However, that good work was undone with bogeys on his 12th and 14th holes, with another dropped shot at the penultimate hole brining Howell back to even par for the day, a score with which he finished.

Scot Richie Ramsay and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger are the clubhouse leaders on three-under after both shooting four-under 67s in the second round.

The cutline is currently projected at four over par, although there are a host of players still out on the course.