DAVID Howell is hoping to build on his third-place finish at the Czech Masters a fortnight ago as he prepares for action in the Omega European Masters.

Despite his first-round exit in the Paul Lawrie Match Play at the start of August, Howell bounced back with his best finish of the year when finishing tied third in Prague.

The two-time Ryder Cup winner decided not to compete in the Made in Denmark tournament last week as he opted to look back on his recent performances instead.

“Apart from the Match Play, which is a bit of a lottery, where I lost in the first round, my last three strokeplay tournaments have been pretty decent performances,” said the 41-year-old.

“I just wanted to take stock a little bit after and put a bit more work in on the range.

“Hopefully, I will come out feeling a little bit more confident when I set up in Switzerland.

“It is hard to play really well two weeks in a row anyway and Denmark is not a tournament I went to last year.”

The Omega European Masters is played in Montana, Switzerland and Howell is looking forward to getting out on the course.

He said: “I always look forward to Switzerland. I can go to Switzerland feeling really good coming off a third place and of course, 22nd in The Open “It is somewhere everyone enjoys playing and is a beautiful course up in the mountains, the ball goes an awful long way.

“It is a bit of a tricky and fiddly course in some ways but I know it like the back of my hand now.”

The year has been a strange one for the Swindon ace after suffering with a foot injury for the most of it, but he now thinks that is behind him.

Howell said: “I’m feeling good. The foot seems to be getting better by the week, which is really pleasing. I don’t know if I will ever have a normal foot again but it is feeling good.”