The 32-year-old Englishman, looking to hit form at this week's Portuguese Open, has plummeted from a high of nine in the world rankings in 2006 to 237 after a series of shoulder and back problems.
Howell, who outdid Tiger Woods to win the 2006 Champions tournament in China and led last year's U.S. Masters early in his third round, has a new coach and a seventh-place finish at the Qatar Masters at the end of January has fuelled his hopes of a fruitful season.
"I've played in the last two Ryder Cups and I want to play in this one," Howell, who lies 124th on this year's money-list, told a news conference on Wednesday.
"It's not out of the question as soon as I turn my form around again over the next couple of months - and I will turn it around.
"There are some massive tournaments coming up now and a nice big victory would be good. But my priority at the moment is just to try to turn the form around."
Like Howell, fellow Englishman Brian Davis has endured his troubles -- battling skin cancer and vertabrae problems -- but is targeting a rapid rise up the rankings from a lowly 188.
Davis's best finish this year is seventh in the Honda Classic on the U.S. Tour, now his home tour.
The 33-year-old, twice a winner in Europe, is in Portugal honouring a sponsor's agreement but is content plying his trade the other side of the Atlantic.
"If you're in the world top 50 it's easy to do both tours," Davis told reporters. "That's my goal, to get back into the world rankings top 50.
"I'm not worrying too much about it (the Ryder Cup) now, maybe in two years' time."Reuters
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