Howell’s play-off curse strikes again

Apr 7 2008 The Journal

RYDER Cup star David Howell produced a seven-under 64 in the Portuguese Open yesterday, his lowest round for over two years.

But his play-off curse – he’s now lost four out of four – struck again as Frenchman Gregory Bourdy won a three-man showdown also involving Scot Alastair Forsyth.

All three had tied at 18-under on 266 at Oitavos Dunes. Then Howell pulled his four iron into the green at the third play-off hole and admitted: “That is the shot I have struggled with throughout my career.” Forsyth, seeking a second win in three weeks, closed his last round with two birdies in a row, but fell out of the race after driving into a bush on the second hole of sudden death.

Howell and Bourdy, who stayed alive with a 12-foot putt there, then switched from the 18th to the 17th where Howell missed the green and failed to get up and down.

It was the fifth week in a row on the European Tour that there had been a play-off. Bourdy had led by four at the start of the day but a front nine of 39 forced him to play catch-up.

Howell, a member of the world’s top-10 after wins over Tiger Woods in Shanghai and then in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, had crashed to 247th in the rankings entering the event. He never had a single top-20 finish all last season, falling from third on the Order of Merit to 142nd.

The extra significance of Forsyth missing out was that it keeps Colin Montgomerie as Scotland’s top player in the world rankings. It is a position he has held since 1991. Howell’s 2006 Ryder Cup team-mates Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke, neither of whom have qualified for this coming week’s Masters either, also look on the way back.

McGinley followed his third-place finish in Korea by coming seventh on 13 under and Clarke’s closing 68 lifted him to 24th.

Barnard Castle’s Robert Dinwiddie shot 69, following a 71 on Saturday, for a share of 51st spot on a four-under 280 total. He signed for four birdies and two bogeys yesterday

In Texas, Ashington’s Kenneth Ferrie scored a pair of weekend 71s to earn a top-50 place in the Shell Houston Open on a two-under total of 286.