DAVID Howell faces an anxious wait to see if he is to make the cut at the Saudi International after a one-under par second round of 69 on Friday.

That leaves the Swindon star on one-over overall after a two-over 72 in Thursday’s first round, with Howell currently in a tie for 71st place, one shot below the projected cutline at level par.

A large number of players remain out on the course at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, with Howell needing some of those to drop down the leaderboard to give him a chance of staying around for the weekend’s final two rounds.

Fellow Wiltshire player Jordan Smith remains on the cutline at present after a one-over second round of 71 dropped him to level par overall.

Needing a positive start to his second round to climb the leaderboard, Howell immediately got himself in red figures for the day. Teeing off at the 10th hole, the Broome Manor man birdied his opener.

A run of four pars followed before back-to-back bogeys on his sixth and seventh holes dropped him to one-over for the day and three-over overall, a figure he was unable to improve before the turn.

However, the 43-year-old enjoyed much better fortunes over his back nine and birdies at his 14th and 16th holes made it three for the day and a one-under round.

American former world number one Dustin Johnson currently leads the way on 11-under after a brilliant nine-under second round of 61.