DAVID Howell shot six birdies in his second round at the BMW International Open in Germany to make his fourth successive cut on the European Tour.

After a level-par 72 in the first round, Howell went off early for his second trip round the 18 holes at the Golf Club Gut Larchenhof in Cologne and enjoyed and endured an up-and-down first nine.

Starting from the 10th, the Broome Manor pro started with a bogey five before recovering immediately by shaving a stroke off his score with a two on the 157-yard par-three 11th.

Another dropped shot followed on the 13th but Howell was not to be flustered, and once again the former Ryder Cup star picked himself up to pull back a shot with a birdie four on the par-five 15th.

A solid par on 14 preceded a sensational run of three successive birdies as Howell headed to the turn in a formidable position at three-under-par.

A bogey on the 456-yard par-four 18th spoiled a decent spell for the Swindonian, and when he followed that up with a further dropped shot on the second, it appeared as though Howell could be struggling.

However, he returned to two-under with a birdie four on the par-five third and then made his approach home with six pars in a row to comfortably secure his place in the last two rounds of the competition.

Notable names to have missed the cut in Cologne include South African Retief Goosen, Englishman Paul Casey and Frenchman Thomas Levet.

Joel Sjoholm held the lead on 11-under-par following yesterday’s play with the likes of Chris Wood and Paul McGinley in close attendance.