SWINDON’S David Howell has left himself with work to do to make it to the weekend after shooting a one-over par opening round at the US PGA Championship.

The 40-year-old, who made it into the competition after forcing his way back into the world’s top 100, appeared to struggle with the driver on a difficult Whistling Straits course.

Howell made a steady start to proceedings, after teeing off in the second group of the day alongside Grant Sturgeon and Boo Weekly, with four consecutive pars.

The Broome Manor pro then made his first move of the round as he sunk a 25 foot putt on the fifth green to claim his first birdie.

However, Howell’s round took a turn for the worse when he found the rough with his drive from the eighth tee before three putting for bogey.

That was followed up by a double bogey on the ninth when Howell found one of more than a 1,000 bunkers on the Straits course, before clearing the green with his recovery chip and then three putting.

Howell steadied the ship with three pars on the first three holes of the back nine, before sinking a 13 foot putt to claim his second birdie on the 13th hole.

A perfect drive set Howell up nicely for his approach shot into the green on the par-four 14th which he landed just three feet away from the hole for back-to-back birdies.

Howell looked to be finishing the day with a respectable level par until a wayward drive on the final hole left him in trouble.

The 40-year-old had a six foot putt to save par but came up short as he had to settle for a bogey-five to card a one-over-par score of 73.