DAVID Howell produced the round of the day in his final session at the Avantha Masters, but any chance of troubling the leaders disappeared 24 hours earlier.

The Broome Manor man struggled to a four-over-par 76 in Saturday’s third round which took him to plus-two for the New Delhi tournament and left him towards the back of the pack of those who made the midway cut.

Howell bounced back though, surging up the standings yesterday with a brilliant six-under-par score of 66, leaving him at minus-four for the event and in a tie for 36th place, worth 12,420 euros.

His final card was made even more impressive given it featured a double bogey - his third of the week - at the par-four fifth.

There was also a bogey at 13, the hole he had endured his previous double bogey blips in earlier rounds.

But those blemishes were swamped by eagles at nine and the par-four 17th.

He also rattled in five birdies - three of which came on par threes.

With three holes to play, Howell was languishing around 60th at level par but a birdie-eagle-birdie finish propelled him up the rankings and moved the 35-year-old to 23rd in the Race to Dubai standings.

At the top end of the leaderboard, countryman Robert Coles just failed to earn his first European Tour victory as India’s SSP Chowrasia held on for a narrow victory in front of his home crowd.

Chowrasia secured a home win as he edged out Coles by one shot in an exciting finish, the Indian shooting a final round of 67 to finish on 15 under par at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Seven birdies in his first 14 holes had put Chowrasia in charge against third round leader Coles.

Chowrasia started the round well and sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the fourth before turning in 32.

A 10-foot birdie putt at the 10th kept Chowrasia’s good run going as he held most of the field at bay.

Coles was the only one who could live with his pace as his approach shot to the seventh span back into the hole for an eagle.

A winner in New Delhi in 2008 when he took his maiden European Tour victory in the Indian Masters, Chowrasia had his first blip on the 16th.

He rushed his tee shot and pulled it left which eventually led to a double bogey.

Pars on the final two holes saw Chowrasia set he clubhouse target at 15 under.

With four holes to go Coles was on the same mark and his approach to eight feet at the 15th looked to set him on course for a maiden European Tour win.

Coles failed to take that chance and an even easier one on the 17th and was made to pay the price on the last.

A perfect tee shot and a second into greenside rough put him in a good position but his chip from a downhill lie went 20 feet past the hole.

He over-hit the putt which could have landed him the tournament win and an eight foot return was also missed so the chance to force a play-off was gone too.

A closing 68 earned Gregory Havret third on 13 under which left him one shot up on first round leader Robert-Jan Derksen who shot a 69 for fourth.