DAVID Howell produced one of his strongest performances of the season to finish in a five-way tie for fifth at the Perth International.

Heading into the weekend in excellent shape following rounds of one-under and four-under, the Broome Manor pro continued in that vein on Saturday and Sunday at Lake Karrinyup.

Efforts of two-under and one-under Down Under were enough to pocket the Wiltshireman over €47,000 and add more weight to the argument that he is inching closer to his best.

Howell's best finish this season was joint fourth at the French Open back in July and although he finished some eight shots behind American winner Bo van Pelt and six behind Jason Dufner this time out, he was well in with a shout of a top-three finish for much of the weekend.

On Saturday, the former Ryder Cup man opened up with a bogey but recovered in style, carding birdie threes at the fourth and ninth.

He made another gain at the par-three 17th which saw him finish his third round on 70.

Sunday was another impressive effort from Howell, although a birdie three at the second was cancelled out by a dropped shot at the fifth.

The back nine started off in better fashion with gains at 11 and 14, before a bogey at 17 pegged him back.

The European Tour moves onto the BMW Masters in Shanghai, China, this week.