Howell heading for early exit

David Howell was left with some less happy memories of Oitavos Dunes today as he headed towards an early exit from the Estoril Portuguese Open.

A year after losing a play-off to Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, the former world number nine, currently down at 192nd in the rankings, double-bogeyed the eighth and 11th holes after starting his second round on two over par.

That was already nine adrift of overnight leader Ross McGowan and by tumbling to six over Howell was 13 behind and had only eight of the 149-strong field below him.

Defending champion Bourdy birdied five of the last seven holes for an opening 69 and, after resuming with a bogey six on the long eighth, he birdied the short 12th to climb back into a share of 13th place.

All the first round leaders were later starters today, an indication of how the wind picked up yesterday afternoon.

Former English amateur champion McGowan’s opening 64, which matched the lowest round of his European Tour career, was two ahead of the North’s Michael Hoey, with Scot Alastair Forsyth, England’s Simon Dyson and Spaniard Carlos Del Moral three back.

Forsyth was also involved in the play-off last year which Bourdy won at the third extra hole.