DAVID Howell will look to address some unfinished business when the 72˚Open D’Italia gets under way today having come within a whisker of the title last year following a blistering final round.

The Swindon ace compiled a nine-under-par 63 having started with an eagle, which propelled him to a runner-up finish at Circolo Golf Torino as South African Hennie Otto held firm on the last few holes to take the title.

This year the tournament heads to Golf Club Milano and the Broome Manor pro is determined to go one better than last time.

“I was thinking during the last round last week that it’ll be nice to go back to Italy,” the 40-year-old former Ryder Cup player told www.europeantour.com.

“It’s always nice to go back somewhere where you’ve had a good result in the past, albeit to a different venue.

“Last year I made that strong start and then just got on a roll. Every putt I looked at seemed to roll in and it was just one of those days when everything went right.

“Unfortunately I’d left myself just a bit too much to do, but I was very happy with the finish given where I’d started that day.

“I don’t know the course in Milan but I’ve been told it’s quite tight and fiddly.

“It’ll be a bit like last week, I think, in that you don’t need to hit many drivers from the tee. That actually will suit me well as I haven’t been driving the ball very well, but everything else seems to be working OK.”

Howell, who finished tied 12th at the KLM Open last weekend, will tee-off at 1.10pm (local time).

A strong field will line up in Milan, with European Tour champions Tommy Fleetwood, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Alexander Levy and Bernd Wiesberger all in attendance.

The home charge will be led by the Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco – the latter triumphing in 2006 – and Matteo Manassero, who is hoping to return to form after a testing season so far.

Another Italian, 18-year-old Renato Paratore, will attempt to become the youngest winner in the event’s history, which would cap an impressive first season on the European Tour - the Rome man is currently 87th in The Race to Dubai.

American Stewart Cink is also present, as is Gareth Moynihan, who was part of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team last weekend.