DAVID Howell endured a disastrous opening round at the KLM Open in the Netherlands as he shot a five-over score of 77.

Swindon star Howell’s round included four bogeys and a double alongside just one birdie and left him last on the leaderboard at the point in which he returned to the clubhouse.

Howell was amongst the earliest starters in Amsterdam, with a hefty contingent of players still yet to tee off their first rounds.

There was little sign of the troubles that lay ahead as the Broome Manor man closed his front nine at one-over.

Teeing off at the first, Howell suffered the worst possible start after posting an opening bogey but a run of eight pars in a row followed after that.

However, things quickly unravelled as the 44-year-old began the back nine as he recorded a double bogey on the 10th hole.

The situation then got even worse as back-to-back bogeys on holes 11 and 12 dropped him to five-over overall.

There was some respite for Howell on the 14th as he recorded a welcome birdie – although it proved to be his only one of the day.

That meant there was no roaring finish for the two-time Ryder Cup winner and he even dropped back to five-over as another bogey on the final hole meant he signed for a disappointing 77.