Quietly confident

"NO-ONE remembers second or third," reflects David Howell, with typical modesty, on his brave but unsuccessful bid to top the Order of Merit last year.

Most years that would be the case, with the Vardon Trophy usually sewn up well before the season-ending Volvo Masters, but 2006 saw one of the most dramatic races for the title in recent times.

The unassuming 31-year-old played his part, leading right from the gun by winning the HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai and was only overhauled when Paul Casey captured another HSBC-sponsored event, the World Match Play Championship in September.

Eventual Order of Merit winner Padraig Harrington then made his move, edging past Howell into second spot, with a resounding five-shot success in the Dunhill Links Championship. Now down in third, it would have been easy to listen to his body and not
play at Valderrama, with a shoulder injury preventing him from hitting any shots for 10 days prior to going to Spain.

But tee it up he did and somehow managed to get round in level par for a share of fifth only to come up just £112,000 short.
Casey reasoned at the start of the week that had his countryman remained injury-free throughout 2006 the race would have already been run but Howell, typically, has no complaints.

"It was a great year for me but it would have been a whole lot nicer going into this year being the number one from last year's Order of Merit but Padraig has got that honour, which is a real feather in his cap.

"I would have loved to have achieved it but you try your best and you get what you deserve. Had I managed to put together some consistent runs, as I did in 2005, on top of the big victories, then I might well have won it but I didn't do that. I probably didn't deserve to win the year-long race."

The former British Boys champion and Walker Cup star is hoping to manage his schedule to stay injury-free in 2007 though he admits it could prove to be a continuous battle.

"Fingers crossed any ailments will stay away but I've always been injury prone and the changes I've made to my swing have maybe had a harder affect on my body than other people. It is something I have to put up with but I am trying to bulk up a little bit and get a bit stronger."

For someone who had to wait six years for his second European Tour win, Howell now has four victories on his CV, including the prestigious BMW Championship, where he romped to a five-shot triumph over the remodelled West Course and entered the world's top 10 for the first time.

And before that, in November 2005, came a final-day showdown in China with Tiger Woods.

Seven months previously Howell had the best seat in Augusta as the world No 1 reeled off seven straight birdies in a sizzling third-round 65. Howell, who started the day level with him, faded with a 76. Disappointing as it surely was, some lessons had been learned and thankfully, for Howell, their next meeting would prove to be more fruitful.

"The 65 was probably the best round I've ever seen. He hit two bad shots, the rest were near perfection. It made me realise that he's an awful lot better than me and I know I'll never hit the ball like Tiger. But on the flip side in China, if I play my golf and can cope with the pressure and stress of playing in his company, and should he not have a brilliant day, then I'm good enough to be able to beat him.

"I learned a lot from that, you will never go away thinking I'm better than Tiger, nothing like it. But you learn a lot about yourself and that was a big day for me handling my own emotions."

Woods labelled Howell a 'cool dude' after the three-shot win in Shanghai so it comes as something of a surprise that his unflappable approach comes from within.

"I haven't worked with any psychologist or anything. I take a simple, straightforward view of what I do for a living and just try to get on with it. I like to think my attitude is one of my strengths. I don't think it's perfect, there are certain situations where I'd prefer to react slightly differently under the cosh but, all in all, I think I do a fairly good job.

"Tiger's in contention all of the time so for him that becomes a normal way of life ­ the rest of us mere mortals may have to cope with that feeling four or five times a year. But even Tiger gets unbelievably nervous, like in the Ryder Cup."

So how twitchy do things get at the biennial matches and did it help having had the experience of playing at Oakland Hills?

"My Ryder Cup experience is nothing but positive. But if you're not on top of your game, standing on that 1st tee being asked to produce a point for your team in front of all those supporters, is very nerve-wracking. Knowing what goes on behind the scenes and what to expect does make the second one slightly easier but the pressure is still there."

Howell arrived at The K Club in September, having just been overtaken by Casey at the top of the Order of Merit and unhappy with his game and fitness, but emerged with two-and-a-half points from three outings and finished like a train with four birdies to crush American rookie Brett Wetterich.

"I've had a strange experience at both matches. I've not been in very good form going into either, but have come out with a good record on two winning sides."

His efforts were limited to just the foursomes over the first two days but, again, there were no complaints on missing out on the two morning fourballs.

"Woosie maybe had me down to play, but with my form not being particularly good at the time, my ego could easily take others playing. That is the beauty of the Ryder Cup, it is all about a team event, coming together with no egos."

On his debut Howell won the Shot of the Year for his six-iron at the 17th which set up a crucial birdie in his and fellow rookie Casey's momentum-building win in the Saturday fourballs. So there was a strange parallel to proceedings when Casey hit the shot of 2006, holing a four-iron at 14 to close out Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson.

"It was a wonderful moment. It's always nice to be around when something special happens. We played well that day, Paul especially, and he hit as good a shot as you're ever likely to see. Even when you are four up with five to play you would just rather not play them, no matter how you're playing, but to finish like that was lovely."

Judging by the look on most of the players' faces the morning after, the celebrations had obviously lived up to the famous Irish hospitality?

"It was better this time. Last year outstripped America by some way, in the partying stakes anyway."

It may not be the party capital of the world but America is where Howell will be devoting part of his time in an attempt to crack the PGA Tour and land his first win in the States. And then, whisper it gently, maybe the Major European golf so craves?

"I hope to play a little bit better, particularly in the States. I've not really threatened to win a tournament there yet," admitted the refreshingly frank Howell.

"People come out and win Majors from nowhere but the standard way of doing things in the golf world is to take one step at a time, win a tournament, win a tournament in America, then a few tournaments in America and if that was a Major then all the better."