DAVID Howell secured his best finish on the European Tour this season when he signed off at the Tshwane Open in South Africa with a steady one-under round of 70 to finish the tournament in a tie for 21st place.

The Broome Manor golfer ended on six-under overall at Pretoria Country Club following rounds of 70, 70, 68 and 70.

Howell started the day with six consecutive pars before a bogey on the seventh dropped the 42-year-old down the rankings.

Further pars on holes eight and nine meant Howell finished one-over for the front nine.

Howell’s consistent scoring continued on the back nine as he recorded a par on the 10th before hitting his first birdie of the day on hole 11.

Another solid run of six pars meant Howell looked to be heading for a five-under total, however, the Swindon star managed to birdie the last to move up six-under for the tournament and narrowly miss out on a place in the top 20.

Home player George Coetzee emerged victorious after finishing two shots clear of the field on 18-under, with the South African shooting a four-under 67 in his final round.

Fellow Wiltshire player Laurie Canter earned a share of 21st place alongside Howell, although the player from Cumberwell Park, near Bradford on Avon, endured a turbulent final round with a one-over score of 72.

Three bogeys in the opening four holes dropped Canter down the standings before the same number of birdies on holes six, eight and nine rescued his front nine.

Canter then added one further birdie and bogey each – on holes 12 and 15 respectively – on the back nine to end the day one-over and six-under overall.