ANOTHER difficult round at the Malaysian Open left David Howell on target to miss the cut in his fourth European Tour event of the year.

Starting on the back nine earlier today, the Swindon pro got off to a tricky start as he bogeyed the tenth and 13th.

Howell, who shot a one-over round of 71 yesterday, did birdie the 18th but on the par four first hole at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, which he also birdied yesterday, the 39-year-old got into trouble as he slipped to a double bogey.

Birdies on the third and fifth helped claw back the deficit but the Broome Manor Pro recorded another bogey on the ninth as he finished his round with a two-over 74.