SWINDON'S David Howell missed the cut at the Scottish Championship this week after finishing the first two days' play on two over par.

Despite shooting 11 birdies across Thursday and Friday, three double-bogeys supplemented seven bogeys for the Englishman as he failed to play the weekend for the 15th time in 20 starts this season.

The two-time Ryder Cup winner started his first round impressively on Thursday as he recorded two birdies on his second and third hole, respectively.

However, the 45-year-old made a mess of the par-three fifth as he carded a five before picking up further drop shots on the ninth and 10th holes.

Howell then went on a run of five holes which perhaps summed up his week - carding a birdie, bogey, birdie, birdie, double-bogey between holes 12 and 16.

Staring at a two-over par finish, the former Broome Manor pro picked up a shot on the par-five 18th to end the first round on one-over.

And during Friday's second round, Howell once again started brightly as he picked up birdies either side of two pars on his opening four holes.

However, a bogey and double-bogey on the next two holes ruined the Englishman's good work on the front nine on Friday.

The back-nine did not start much better as the five-time European event winner went bogey, bogey on the 10th and 11th.

Three birdies and a further bogey signalled a stronger finish for Howell, but it was not enough to qualify for the weekend's play at Fairmont St Andrews.