General / Editor / 26 June 2007 /

David Howell is targeting a return at the European Open in Ireland as he bids to find his form ahead of the Open Championship

The 32-year-old has suffered with both back and wrist problems this year and was forced to miss the recent US Open due to the wrist problem suffered in practice ahead of the year's second major.

The Ryder Cup star missed the BMW International Open in Munich and will also sit out this week's French Open but hopes to play at the K Club to prepare for the Open at Carnoustie, which begins on July 19.

And the Englishman admitted that he would have liked to have played more golf ahead of the prestigious tournament north of the border.

"It's not ideal, really," he said. "You want to feel prepared and it has been the best part of 12 weeks since I last played properly, at the Masters.

"It's never easy coming back. The one good thing is that my game wasn't that great before the injuries.

"I would have liked to have played in Germany, where I have a great record, and France, which is a huge event, but I thought: 'I'll take an extra couple of weeks off and relax.' I have to get over this injury."

Howell is not fancied to perform any miracles at Carnoustie with Tiger Woods, not surprisingly, the early favourite in the Betfair market, and the usual suspects of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh similarly priced behind the world number one.

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