'No excuses' for lack of US success, says Howell

English golfer David Howell says he will only have himself to blame if he plays poorly at next week's US Open.

The European Tour number one is one shot behind Australian Adam Scott after an opening 67 at the Barclays Classic in New York, and is now in position to grab what would be his first victory in America.

“I’m certainly in the best shape I’ve ever come into a US Open in and I’ve got no excuses,” he said.

“My career is progressing really well. Every goal I set for myself I keep seeming to achieve, which is lovely.

“The next natural step for me is to at least give myself a chance over here.

“It’s not easy to win on this tour and I haven’t got quite as far as having a chance with 18 or nine to go. That’s the next step, along with winning one.”

Howell looked as if he might get into contention down the stretch at last week’s Memorial Tournament – but then came a third round 83.

“I think it was just a number of things,” he explained. “We played 36 in a day. I finally felt exhausted after the week before (his BMW Championship win at Wentworth).

“I had probably been on a high the whole of the week until that round started. I started with a double bogey from almost nowhere, followed that up with another one and then all the energy was drained out of me.

“Any adrenaline I had was gone and I just couldn’t do a thing right. I could only laugh – I wasn’t going to get upset with myself.

“I’d just won the biggest tournament of my life the week before.

“It was just a bad day at the office, and that’s all I can say. The best thing about it, my attitude towards it was good. It hasn’t affected me.

“Obviously you shoot 83 in the third round coming off a win is a big blow, but it’s all forgotten now. The win is behind me and so is the 83.”

Scott has also put Wentworth behind him. He missed the cut by some distance there, but in his last three starts in the US he has finished third, third and fourth.

While Howell finished his round with three successive birdies Scott sank a 105-yard pitch for an eagle two at the seventh, chipped in from 50 feet on the 12th and closed with two long birdie putts for a six-under-par 65.

American Billy Andrade is alongside Howell, while Swede Fredrik Jacobson - ineligible for the Ryder Cup because he is no longer a member of the European Tour – is one stroke further back.

Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman would have been tied with Scott if he had parred his last three holes, but he bogeyed them all and had to settle for a 68.

Lehman has not ruled out playing at the K Club in September if he qualifies and could move up from 19th to sixth in the race for places with victory on Sunday.

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who came through a qualifying tournament for next week’s major on Monday, is alongside Masters champion Phil Mickelson on one under, while Justin Rose posted a level-par 71 and Luke Donald and Ian Poulter had 72s.

Lee Westwood is in danger of a sixth successive missed cut after a 74 – and that after being two under after three – and two more on that mark are defending champion Pádraig Harrington, whose round included two double bogeys.