SWINDON’S David Howell admits he may need a divine intervention to make the cut at the BMW PGA Championship.

Howell was a doubt to even appear at his home tournament at Wentworth having been sidelined with a foot injury since February.

However, the 40-year-old put his injury concerns and a chest infection behind him to take to the course and card a one-over-par round going into the second day.

“This was a bit of a run out for the foot more than anything – it’s strange surroundings to say that at the biggest championship of the year, just about,” said Howell after his round.

“That has held up really well today so I pleased with that. I also have a chest infection so I am also on antibiotics so I am in the wars to say the least and with that I guess one-over is not bad.

“It felt strange being back out there but I actually didn’t play too bad.

“One short missed putt and a miss club on eight led to two bogies on the front nine but I played quite nicely – nothing to write home about but all good stuff.

“I couldn’t have asked for too much better. One shot better would have been nice but it was nice to finish with a birdie.

“I have hit so few shots, I am really just finding my feet, and I guess all in all, I would take that.”

Howell made a steady start to the round and missed a couple of long birdie chances as he opened with six pars.

However, having pitched up short on the seventh, he left himself with an awkward downhill putt, which missed low to move him to one over par.

The Broome Manor pro got fortunate with his tee shot at eight but took a club too many with his approach shot and went through the green.

Howell was unable to get up and down in two as he made it back-to-back bogeys as he went out in 37.

The two-time Ryder Cup winner recovered from a tee shot that went a bit too far to the right on 12 to pull a shot back.

However, Howell was left bemoaning a bad bounce as he found the ditch to the right of the 15th and was forced to take a drop.

That moved him back to two over par but after a fine, if not completely intentional, tee shot at the par-five last, Howell attacked the pin with his second shot and was rewarded with a birdie to end on one-over par.

Howell will now rest up and admits he may need a minor miracle to make the cut today but that won’t stop him from trying.

“Of course it does matter if,” he added.

“You get back out on the course and it isn’t long before you do something wrong and the game annoys you.

“My very simple goal is to make the cut tomorrow. If I do that it will be a minor miracle bearing in mind the build-up.

“I haven’t made the cut here for a couple of years anyway and to do it this year would be rather ironic.

“I have got to play very well tomorrow (Friday) but that is doable.

“We’ll stay hopeful but I need to get a lot of rest and come back with more energy.”