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By Andrew Mullen Special to PA SportsTicker
DELHI, India (Ticker) - David Howell is cautious over his chances at
this week's inaugural Indian Masters as the former Ryder Cup winner
slowly and patiently pieces his career back together.
Howell's troubles - which saw the Ryder Cup winner fall from a
career-high ninth in the world - are well-documented, but he is
currently two months through a six-month plan to develop his swing as
he tried to turn around his career.
The 32-year-old recorded his first top-10 finish since the 2006 Volvo
Masters at last month's Qatar Masters to end his longest streak since
he returned from a broken arm in 2002.
Last week's 44th-place finish in Dubai also brought a smile to the face
of the four-time European Tour winner, who has enjoyed an injury-free
start to the year which has allowed him to achieve the levels of
practice needed to be able to compete again and resulted in him making
three cuts in four events, a stark contrast to 2007.
"I wouldn't say it's been a solid start to the year, it's been
positive," Howell said. "Last year was quite amazing how poorly I
played even with injuries. I didn't put a good round of golf together
hardly at all so it's been a positive start. But I am in transition
with where I am trying to go with my swing which will allow me to
control the ball better than I have been.
"It is very hard to play while trying to make changes so I am limiting
my chances of how well I can play at the moment when I swing the club
in a different way, but soon that will click and I will be off and
running. I have made some nice changes but they are still unnatural."
Howell still has one eye on earning a place in Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup
team later this year, but as he is realistic in admitting he is well
away from being a player capable of challenging the Americans at
Valhalla, he would settle for a return to form and a fruitful decade on
tour.
"I am really looking at this half of the year to look at my technique
and make the changes I want to and if good results come along then
great and hopefully things will click soon enough," the Englishman
added.
"I just need to keep faith and be patient. If it takes two years to be
a better player than the one I was two years ago then I am going to
have a great career again."
World No. 4 Ernie Els, who finished third in Dubai last week, headlines
the field at the tight Delhi Golf Club, a 7,014-yard course which is
built on the site of a 17th century tomb.
"It's a very narrow course and you have to get to know it," added
Howell, who predicted a 12-under-par total would be enough to win the
title on Sunday after hitting several wayward shots during Wednesday's
Pro-Am.
"I don't think anyone will play the course aggressively, maybe someone
on Friday if they have not had a great start might try to attack for
that one round to make up some ground, but apart from that one round I
think you will see everyone leave the woods in their bag."
Fellow Ryder Cup winner Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn, as well as
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, fifth in Dubai last week, also are
set to tee off on Thursday, while local favorite Jyoti Randhawa will
look to build on back-to-back victories at the Indian Open, which is
played at the same venue on the Asian Tour.
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