DAVID Howell admitted yesterday’s five-over-par opening round at the Celtic Manor Welsh Open was arguably the most miserable day of his golfing career to date.

The Broome Manor man struck 76 on the 2010 Ryder Cup course to leave himself miles off the early pace-setters and also needing a miracle to make the cut after today’s second round.

And a disappointed Howell pulled no punches after, as he told the Advertiser: “I’m absolutely gutted – very unhappy.

“It started lovely. I hit some nice shots, thought it was going well, was looking forward to the day, and then it turned into as miserable a day of golf as I can remember.

“I was rubbish – simple as that. I didn’t hit a lot of good shots, but at the same time I didn’t think it was five-over golf.

“I should have got round in maybe level or one-over, but didn’t manage to and threw a few shots away at the end.”

Strangely, Howell looked anything but likely to struggle on his early holes. The 34-year-old was two under after his first three and seemingly confident, particularly around the greens.

But after putting his ball into the water at the 485-yard par four 14th, he recorded a double bogey and it was largely downhill from there.

A superb chip straight in from the deep rough behind the 16th handed Howell a birdie and a brief glimmer of hope, but the Swindonian never looked confident in his own ability.

Wayward tee shots left him growing more and more frustrated and as he went into the front nine he hit successive bunkers on the second hole.

But it was the fifth where his challenge to even make the cut came to an end as once again Howell’s approach shot found the water rather than the green, and he angrily rolled his ball away into the lake having finally putted.

So another six on the scorecard, and even though he followed it up with a three-shot birdie, a couple of bogeys and a double bogey completed an morning to forget.

And with just pride to play for today, Howell was realistic in the way he will approach his second round.

“On Friday I’ve just got to go out, try and shoot as low a round as possible and then take a couple of weekends off,” he said.

“Obviously we will still try and make the cut, but it is going to be tough from there.”