GOLF: IT is often said to reach the top in sport you need a hint of arrogance, but anyone spending time with David Howell would quickly dispel that myth.

The Swindon golfer picked up his biggest career win to date on Sunday, banking almost half a million pounds with the BMW Championship title at Wentworth and breaking into the world top 10 for the first time.

After a dominant five-shot win you could have forgiven, maybe even expected, a touch of bravado but, if anything, Howell appeared embarrassed to even be mentioned in the same bracket as the sport's elite.

He said: "When you talk about people like Tiger Woods, I don't think of myself in those terms. I am not the best player in the world and don't ever dream of being so.

"I had never even dreamed of winning a tournament like this though so to be talking as the winner is quite overwhelming.' Three years ago, Howell made the dramatic rise from 74th to 16th on the European Order of Merit, and in 2004 made his Ryder Cup bow in the European victory at Oakland Hills.

The improvement was good but, having not won a tournament since his first victory back in 1999 in Dubai, there was the danger of the 30-year-old being dismissed as just another average golfer.

He picked up the pace again last season, losing play-offs in the British Masters and Irish Open, before finally making the breakthrough in the BMW Open in Germany in August.

He moved up to seventh in the money list but the best was still to come.

Howell started this season, lifting the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, beating Tiger Woods in a head-to-head, and has led the Order of Merit ever since.

His recent victory at the tour's flagship event has taken Howell to a new high, somewhere he would never of dreamed of being as a youngster at Broome Manor.

He said: "Just to play golf and earn money that way would have been fantastic. I had no expectations although I did have hopes.

"I remember being delighted when I made the cut at Tour School because I knew I would be playing on the Challenge Tour the following year and things have got slightly better since.

"I would never have dreamed of being in a good position of winning the Order of Merit, getting ready for a second Ryder Cup cap and winning a tournament the size of this."

Howell recognises Shanghai's battle with Tiger as a major turning point in his career as he started developing some much-needed self-belief.

"That gave me huge confidence," he said. "It's nice having that belief that you can stand up against the best players and perform well. I know now mentally I can handle the situation.

"I'm just more comfortable in my surroundings. Most weeks when I turn up now, I don't fear anyone. I'm not in awe of anyone either, I don't think there's anyone I can't beat on my day.

Howell, who jetted off to America yesterday, has already shown success won't change him, but will at last install belief.

"I know I am a better player now," he said. "I've got a wonderful life, but I have worked hard and have made sacrifices. Not horrible ones though.

"Just things like going to the gym and not going out and not doing anything in the evening. I've done more of that in the last few years and maybe it is showing."