Howell was part of the winning Ryder Cup team in 2004 and 2006

Swindon golfer David Howell has said he is disappointed with finishing 45th in the European Tour Order of Merit.

Howell has improved on his final standing from 2007, a year when he was hampered by a back injury.

He told BBC Radio Swindon: "I would have liked to have been in the top 30. Its not easy, the draw is getting better all the time."

Howell lines-up in the Champions Trophy in Shanghai on Thursday, a tournament he won in 2005.

He will play alongside other previous winners and the world's top fifty ranked players.

The Ryder Cup winner believes it will be a good test to see how much he has improved in recent times.

"I've been competing to a reasonable standard. It would be great to get that buzz of challenging for a tournament again," he added.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version