THREE birdies after the turn helped David Howell begin the Italian Open with a two-under par round of 69 today as fellow Wiltshire player Laurie Canter took a share of the lead.

Canter, based at Cumberwell Park in Bradford on Avon, was the last man into the field but shot an eight-under 63 to top the leaderboard.

His round included six birdies and an eagle, and Canter will tee off the second round tomorrow at the head of the pack alongside fellow Englishman Robert Rock and South Africa's Richard Sterne.

Swindon golfer Howell arrived in Brescia looking to bounce back from the disappointment of missing the cut at last week’s BMW PGA Championship - the European Tour’s flagship event.

Two-time Ryder Cup winner Howell was amongst the late starters at Gardagolf County Club and was forced to wait and watch as plenty of good scores were posted.

Although Howell was able to play nicely himself, including shooting five birdies in his round, his two-under score is still outside the top 60.

Teeing off at the 10th hole, Howell posted par to start with but then took bogey at the next.

Two birdies in the following four holes had the 42-year-old moving back in the right direction again, although he could not sustain that as a double bogey six at the 18th hole - his ninth - saw Howell reach the turn at one-over.

That stroke was immediately claimed back in the first hole of Howell’s second nine before two more in succession - at holes six and seven - meant he carded a two-under 69.

The third Wiltshire pro in action, Derry Hill's Jordan Smith, recorded an eagle, six birdies, two bogeys and a double for a four-under 67.

Broome Manor man Howell tees off his second round at 7.40am BST tomorrow, playing alongside Spaniard Scott Fernandez and Sweden’s Peter Hanson.