SWINDON golfer David Howell fell back in his third round at the Irish Open.

Howell started Saturday in tied for 26th place at three under for the tournament but after going around in 73, his worst round so far at the Fota Island Resort tournament, he has fallen back to be tied for 48th.

The Broome Manor pro shot six worse on the back nine than on his excellent run on Friday. Howell carded bogeys at 12 and 15, only birdying the final hole to stay inside the tournament's top 50.

For the third day in a row Howell failed to break 37 on the course's front nine, bogeying at four and eight, with a lone birdy at five.

Howell will start his final round eleven shots off the tournament leader Miko Ilonen but with hopes to find the form from his final nine on Friday and getting himself up the leaderboard.