EARLY starter David Howell was just four shots behind the leaders at the Barclays Scottish Open after a second successive 70 at Loch Lomond this morning.

Howell, who had fired rounds of 69 and 70 on the first two days to easily make the cut, added another one-under-par score in Scotland as the leaderboard became increasingly bunched.

The Broome Manor man's round was a largely uneventful affair, Howell parring the first 12 holes before dropping a shot on the 12th.

He bounced back in style though, birdieing the long 13th and short 17th to come home in 34 strokes and earn a place inside the top 30.

With 40 players within five shots of the lead, the Swindon man's title hopes were still very much alive as the leaders got their rounds underway.

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