DAVID Howell has secured his best European Tour finish in more than a year as he finished tied-third at the Czech Masters this afternoon.

The Swindon star’s season has been plagued by a foot injury that forced him to miss a raft of tournaments across the year but at the Albatross Golf Club in Prague, Howell carded a four-under-par round on the final day to share third spot with Ryan Evans on 11-under overall.

Although the 41-year-old was unable to usurp Belgium’s Thomas Pieters (14-under) and winner Paul Peterson (15-under), of the United States, Howell’s Czech display provided him with his finest result since he finished third at the Paul Lawrie Match Play in August 2015.

Howell’s fourth and final round got off to an impressive start, with the Swindon player birdying the par-four second and fourth holes, before also shaving another shot off his score on the par-four sixth.

He did encounter some trouble on the par-three seventh and when beginning his back nine on the par-five 10th, but the two-time Ryder Cup winner produced the perfect response to those wobbles.

First, Howell birdied the par-four 11th before some storming approach play on the par-five 12th saw the Swindon ace bolster his efforts with an eagle.

Howell went par through the remaining six holes to round off a tournament to savour and his most impressive result of 2016 so far.

Another Swindon golfer – Josh Loughrey – was also in action in the earlier rounds of the Czech Masters, the 25-year-old finishing tied-140th after failing to make the cut.