DAVID Howell will be hoping to master Woburn this week and reignite his European Tour season.

The Swindon star is enjoying one of his most impressive years in recent memory, with five top-five finishes and close to €1million in prize money, but is in danger of dropping off as the campaign heads towards its conclusion.

Broome Manor pro Howell has missed the cut at his last two events and will be eager to get back to form at the British Masters, following its reintroduction to the Tour calendar.

The tournament has been off the schedule since 2008 but will be back with a bang at Woburn Golf Club in Buckinghamshire when it returns this morning.

Howell came agonisingly close to winning the tournament back in 2005 but lost in a play-off at the Forest of Arden as Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn claimed victory.

The 40-year-old will be paired with another Dane this week and tees off his first round alongside Soren Kjeldsen at 12.20pm. Fellow Englishman James Morrison completes the three-ball.

Howell will want to fare better than he did at last week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Although his score improved in each of the opening three rounds, he was still well short of making the cut.