DAVID Howell has set his sights on finishing inside the top 20 as the Race to Dubai nears its conclusion.

The Swindon ace is currently ranked 24th in this year’s order of merit ahead of tomorrow’s BMW Masters in Shanghai.

But the two-time Ryder Cup winner says that he will have to secure a place inside the top 10 over the final two events of the season.

“My goal is to finish in the top 20 this year,” said Howell, who will tee off in the early hours of tomorrow morning in China.

“That is something that I’ve not achieved in the last 10 years, but to do that I know I have will have to finish in the top 10 or even the top five this week or next week in Dubai.”

Howell is 151,091 points behind German Martin Kaymer, who sits in 20th place in the Race to Dubai.

But the 40-year-old is feeling in good form ahead of tomorrow’s tournament after replacing his driver.

“It has been a bit of trial and error getting the driver right but I feel like I have now got it right,” the Broome Manor pro said.

“I had a great practice round on Tuesday and was hitting the ball well.

“I’m due a good week and I’m feeling confident that I can getting myself in a position to be challenging on the final day like I was in the first half of the season.”

However, Howell, who finished tied 30th last weekend with an overall score of eight under-par for the week after a disappointing one-over-par opening round, said that he will have to improve on his putting if he is to do that.

“I felt that I had a pretty average week last week (at the HBSC Champions event in Shanghai),” he said.

“It was no disgrace to finish where I did in a top quality field, but there were just little things I felt that I could have done better.

“I missed three short putts on the final day, so I have to be more clinical on the greens this week.”

Howell will tee off at 2am (GMT) Thursday morning from the 10th tee at Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai alongside Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiminez and China’s Haotong Li, who finished tied seventh last week at the HBSC Champions.

To keep up to date with how Howell gets on in China this week, see swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport