TWO first class air tickets will be all David Howell has to take away from the Dubai Desert Classic, after the Swindon golfer yesterday missed the tournament’s halfway cut.

Howell had won the pair of flights on Thursday after sinking a superb hole-in-one on the 186-yard seventh at the Emirates Golf Club, but the former Ryder Cup star registered a second-round 75, three-over-par, to fall two shots off the even-par cut.

The day did not start well for Howell, who bogeyed the par-four first before shooting further bogeys at six and eight to look well off the pace at the turn.

A birdie at the par-five 10th briefly restored some hope for the Broome Manor pro, but another extra shot was required at the 12th.

Again Howell recovered to shave back a stroke on the following hole, the 550-yard 13th, but no late rally was coming and he ended with another bogey on 16 to finish two-over-par overall.

Rory McIlroy showed how much he has grown up as he stayed on course to repeat his wire-to-wire victory at the Desert Classic two years ago.

First came a challenge from Tiger Woods, who, far from battling to survive the halfway cut, burst into contention with a best-of-the-day 66.

Then Sergio Garcia, another fallen superstar looking to end a long barren spell, and South African Thomas Aiken showed they were not going to back off.

But after a nervy-looking bogey on the second hole, the 21-year-old Northern Irishman hit back with five birdies and, although his lead over Garcia and Aiken is down from two to one, he is still the man to catch going into the final two rounds.

Now 11-under-par and four clear of Woods, who is in a tie for fifth, McIlroy said: “Maybe this time last year I would not have been able to grind out a 68 after the start I had.

“Rounds like this prove I am doing the right thing and if I come up against Tiger this weekend I look forward to the challenge.

“I don’t think you should be intimidated by anybody on tour. I believe in myself and my abilities.”