DAVID Howell was left to rue a below-par performance with the putter after he failed to make the cut on his comeback event on the European Tour.

Swindon star Howell has been sidelined for more than three months because of a foot injury and returned to action this week at the tour’s flagship event – the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

After a one-over par opening round, the 40-year-old struggled to get things going in Friday’s second round and came home in a two-over par 74 to finish three-over overall and miss the cut by two strokes.

After a scratchy four-over par front nine, which included four bogeys, a double and two birdies, two-time Ryder Cup winner Howell looked out of it at the turn but suddenly began to find his form.

The Broome Manor pro recorded an impressive eagle at the par-five 12th but several more good chances came and went on the back nine, and even a birdie-birdie finish was not enough to see him make the weekend.

“It’s funny, my strength is always my putting and low and behold, it’s my putting that’s let me down,” said Howell.

“I didn’t hold all that much and didn’t really make any par saves when I had the chances.

“If anything, coming in I was worried about how I was going to hit it but it turned out that my putting let me down, so it’s a shame.

“I hit a terrible shot to 11 and dropped a shot and was coming off a bogey on nine as well, so was way up against it to make the cut but, funnily enough, my caddy said: ‘You never know, you might make eagle here.’ Sure enough, boom, it hit the flag and I dropped in the putt.

“I made a nice save on 13 and gave myself great chances coming in at 14 and 15, and then made two birdies to finish.

“To only miss the cut by two in the end you think crikey, that’s amazing.”