DAVID Howell celebrated his 600th event on the European Tour by making the cut after a much-improved second round at the Nordea Masters in Sweden today.

Howell, who shot a one-over-par 71 on day one of the event in Gothenburg on Thursday, carded six birdies in a round of 68 that would have been even better but for a costly double-bogey six at the 16th hole at the Hills Golf Club.

The two-time Ryder Cup winner from Swindon this week became the tenth person to have made 600 appearances on the European Tour, joining Sam Torrance, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Barry Lane, Colin Montgomerie, Roger Chapman, Paul Lawrie, Eamonn Darcy, Peter Baker and Malcolm Mackenzie in the illustrious list.

And Howell, in his first event back on tour for four weeks, made a blistering start to his second round with three birdies in the opening four holes and another at the short sixth after a bogey at the fifth to move into red figures for the tournament.

Despite bogeying the seventh, the Broome Manor man picked up further birdies on 11 and 12 to lie four under par overall for the tournament at one stage before his late blemish dropped him back to two under.

Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and England’s Paul Waring led the event on 11 under par, two shots clear of South Africa’s Thomas Aiken.