Howell is currently 162nd in the Race to Dubai standings

Swindon's David Howell says he will do everything he can to be part of the 2010 European Ryder Cup team.

The former PGA winner helped Europe to victories over the US in 2004 and 2006 but has struggled for form since then.

He told BBC Wiltshire: "I'm a lad from Swindon and the Cup is never going to be closer than it is next year when it is just down the road at Celtic Manor.

"For me to miss out on that opportunity would be a bitter blow and I'll be doing all I can to try and qualify."

The qualifying period for the 2010 team started at the European Masters in Switzerland, where Howell achieved his best result of the year with a seventh-placed finish.

The Swindon Broome Manor member knows he will need to be much more consistent if he is to make the European team.

"I'm still not in a position where I've got any right to be thinking of the Ryder Cup," he said.

"With my ranking being so low I'm not going to be in the majors and World Championship events, barring some really good performances.

"It'll be a war of attrition for me to qualify this time around, like in 2004 when consistently performing on the European Tour got me in.

"In 2006 I managed to win a couple of tournaments and had a worldwide schedule, and ended up qualifying fairly easily."

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