US Tour Players Championship: What appalling timing, you'd imagine. Having suffered a nightmarish finish in Bay Hill, as Greg Owen did on Sunday, you'd think the last place in the world you would want to face next is the TPC at Sawgrass and, in particular, its infamous 17th hole.

Not so, according to Thomas Bjorn, who knows a thing or two about self-destructing and picking up the pieces.

On a strangely calm Monday notable by how few players were around, and was consequently an unusually slow-burn build-up to the Players, Bjorn, who hasn't played since picking up a neck injury at last month's Dubai Desert Classic, was one of the few players to get reacquainted with course.

"This is a great place for Greg to come," insisted Bjorn, standing on the 16th tee. "It's one of the better tournaments of the year on one of the best golf courses. You can't help but be excited by playing here. Sure, Greg will get a comment or two along the way . . . but you just stick your head down and do your thing."

For professional golfers, watching a fellow-pro implode is a bit like watching two runaway lorries on course for a head-on collision. You're utterly and completely helpless. When Englishman Owen three-putted the penultimate green at the Bay Hill Invitational on Sunday to hand the tournament to Australia's Rod Pampling, it was every professionals worst nightmare coming to life.

But Bjorn, who last season threw away the European Open by running up an 11 on the par four 17th in the final round, reasoned, "Things happen in golf, (and) you can't get too down on yourself about something like that. You've got to take all the positives from it . . . you have got to get yourself into a position where you are contending at tournaments."

Of Owen, who was a one-time winner on the European Tour (in the 2003 British Masters), before effectively switching to the US Tour after winning his card at tour school, Bjorn remarked: "You know, he's done remarkably well. When he first came over here, it was one of those things where you wonder, 'has he done enough in Europe? Has he learned enough?' But he looks like he has, so he has made a good decision."

Sunday's lesson was a harsh one for Owen. "I can't believe that missed," said Owen after missing a longish par putt on the 18th. "It's one of those things where it just kicks you in the teeth. It's one of those things where you say, well, it wasn't to be."

Pampling, who nearly squandered an overnight four-shot lead, only managed an even-par 72 on Sunday. He finished at 14-under-par 274, which was good for a one-stroke victory over Owen, who posted a final-round 69.

Owen tried to remain philosophical. "When I won the British Masters, things happened and putts went in," said Owen. "Whatever happens with the golfing gods, that's what happens. It wasn't my day . . . I'll have to wait for another day."

But the Englishman has to regroup quickly as he prepares for the $8 million Players Championship which, for the last time, will occupy a March date before switching to a May date next year.

"You know, you don't get many chances to win on the PGA Tour . . . I had it in my pocket. It was there and I threw it away."

Owen, 53rd in the world, needs to break into the top-50 after the Players to be invited to the US Masters in a fortnight.

There are three Irish players in the field for the Players, a tournament commonly regarded as golf's unofficial fifth major. Darren Clarke finished third at Bay Hill to move up to 17th in the world rankings, overtaking Padraig Harrington, who has slipped to 24th, as the leading Irish player. It is the first time since April 2002 that Clarke has moved ahead of Harrington in the rankings.

Clarke's performance in Bay Hill, aided by a 63 in Saturday's third round, is all the more impressive given that his wife, Heather, continues her battle with cancer. "It's affecting me quite a bit, which is normal, it's bound to. Golf is not really at the top of my list, it's nowhere near the top of my priorities. But still at the same time, I'm not just going out to make up a number. I want to try and compete."

As one of his closest friends on tour, Bjorn was particularly pleased to see Clarke doing so well at Bay Hill. "It's nice to see Darren do well. He lives through his golf at the moment. We are all behind him and what he and Heather are going through."

While Clarke prepared for the Players with a third-place finish in Bay Hill, and will attempt to improve on his best finish of tied-sixth in 2003, Harrington - who had a week's break from tournament play - and Paul McGinley, now ranked 27th in the world, who stopped off in London before continuing his journey having played in China last week, delayed their arrival in Florida until last evening.

Harrington has two runner-up finishes in the Players Championship, in 2003 and 2004, so it is obviously a course that fits his eye, while McGinley's only previous appearance was in 2002 when he missed the cut.

Ryder Cup Race

European points list

1 C Montgomerie (Sco)1,569,553

2 H Stenson (Swe)1,376,923

3 D Howell (Eng)1,339,523

4 S Garcia (Spa) 1,236,372

5 P McGinley (Ire) 1,224,154

6 J M Olazabal (Spa) 895,583

7 N Dougherty (Eng) 806,494

8 K Ferrie (Eng) 735,315

9 P Casey (Eng) 704,687

10 P Broadhurst (Eng)667,514

World Points list

1 H Stenson 140.62

2 S Garcia 134.61

3 C Montgomerie 124.84

4 L Donald 111.07

5 D Howell 107.14

6 J M Olazabal 106.45

7 P McGinley 88.54

8 N Dougherty 77.62

9 D Clarke 74.27

10 P Casey 71.89

European team (as of now)

(with five players from the World list and five from the European list. Captain Ian Woosnam also has two wild card choices)

1 H Stenson (Swe)

2 S Garcia (Spa)

3 C Montgomerie (Sco)

4 L Donald (Eng)

5 D Howell (Eng)

6 P McGinley (Ire)

7 J-M Olazabal (Spa)

8 N Dougherty (Eng)

9 K Ferrie (Eng)

10 P Casey (Eng)

US standings

1 T Woods 2,690.000

2 D Toms 1,068.917

3 P Mickelson 984.375

4 C Campbell 769.602

5 D Love III 631.875

6 J Furyk 521.000

7 A Oberholser 477.500

8 S Verplank 475.667

9 C DiMarco 470.000

10 L Glover 461.376

World Rankings

1 T Woods (US) 17.81pts ave

2 V Singh (Fij)8.7

3 R Goosen (SA) 7.54

4 P Mickelson (US) 7.24

5 E Els (SA)6.84

6 S Garcia (Spa) 6.43

7 D Toms (US) 5.6

8 J Furyk (US) 5.32

9 A Scott (Aus) 4.95

10 L Donald (Eng) 4.94