Howell marches on

David Howell had stretched his lead to five shots after the opening five holes of the BMW Championship final round at Wentworth.

The European Order of Merit leader, three clear after the second and third days, made a 12-foot birdie putt on the short second and even when Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied the long fourth Howell matched him.

Then Jimenez saw his Ryder Cup team-mate make a 45-footer at the next to take another step towards the first prize.

They were 17 under and 12 under, with Essex’s Simon Khan next best on nine under.

By the turn Howell was six clear and cruising. Pars were good enough and when Jimenez followed a bogey on the sixth - he drove into sand there - with another when he three-putted the ninth Khan was in second place on his own.

The 33-year-old won the Wales Open two years ago, but is perhaps best known as the player who received fines for slow play last year – and that after receiving a one-shot penalty at Wentworth for the same thing.