6:00am Friday 3rd September 2010
By Sam Morshead
TWO birdies in his final three holes helped David Howell to an up-and-down round of 71, and level par, at the end of his opening round at the Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps yesterday.
Howell endured a nightmare start to his 18 holes, bogeying the first three and staring a heavy over-par score straight down the barrel.
However, the former Ryder Cup star shaved strokes off his card at the 14th and 17th (the fifth and eighth of his round, having begun at the 10th), and looked well set for an assault of the leaderboard on the front nine.
But the Broome Manor pro shot a bogey four on the 191-yard par-three third, and with three holes remaining looked set to record an unenviable return.
But Howell pulled it together on the seventh and ninth to put himself back in contention of making the halfway cut.
Italian Matteo Manassero’s astonishing seven-under-par 64 led the way on the first day of play at the stunning course in Switzerland, whilst Englishman Graeme Storm was not far behind on six-under, alongside Fin Mikko Ilonen.
A group of six players sat on five-under-par overnight, including Ryder Cup pick Edoardo Molinari.
Howell tees off for his second round this morning at 7.50am local time (6.50am GMT) with Thomas Aitken and Mark Foster.
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