FUMING David Howell was livid with himself last night after letting the Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters title slip through his fingers.

Swindon's Ryder Cup star, pictured, blew a one-shot lead on the final hole of the £1.7million event at the Forest of Arden in Warwickshire to leave himself still without a win on the European Tour since his 1999 Dubai Desert Classic victory.

After sending his tee shot on the short 18th into the greenside bunker and taking a bogey to slip into a three-way play-off with Danish star Thomas Bjorn and England's Brian Davis, Howell repeated the trick on the second hole of the sudden-death play-off, another bogey handing Bjorn the title and £283,500 winners' cheque.

The Broome Manor man's 'consolations' were joint second place with Davis, a cheque for £147,650, sixth place in the Tour's Order of Merit and a probable return to the world's top 50.

But an angry Howell was in no mood to look at the positives afterwards.

''I'm annoyed and very disappointed,'' the visibly furious 29-year-old told the Evening Advertiser minutes after walking off the 18th green for the final time.

''It's very frustrating. The title was there for me to win and I couldn't do it.

''All the stuff I have been working on with my swing just didn't stand up to the pressure there at the end. Simple as that.''

Howell looked completely out of contention as he arrived on the 15th tee three under par, with overnight leader Michael Campbell four shots in front.

But amazingly, two birdies followed by a chip-in eagle on the par five 17th suddenly thrust him to the top of the standings.

He added: ''I got lucky there at the 17th. I made a poor swing with my second shot and managed to chip it in.

''I just needed one good swing on the last and I just couldn't do it.

''(On the 18th) it was a three to win, simple as that. One good five iron and the title is yours. It was just a straightforward five iron and I'm very disappointed.

''It has been a long time since I have won but there you go.''

Despite his obvious frustration, it was still Howell's fourth top 10 finish in seven European Tour events this season.

And he will take his search for a first title in six years to the Nissan Irish Open in County Kildare, starting on Thursday, before returning to England for the BMW Championship at Wentworth in a fortnight.