Putting blunder costs Owen Masters chance

GREG OWEN accepts it was just plain stupidity that has left him still searching for a US Tour victory — and a place in the Masters.

The 34-year-old Englishman, who fought back from spinal surgery two years ago to pursue his dream of golfing success in America, lost the Bay Hill Invitational by one after double-bogeying the penultimate hole and then bogeying the last.

It was what happened on the short 17th that could now haunt Owen, and there was nobody to blame but himself for a blunder that ended up costing him almost £250,000.

It also leaves him 53rd in the world rankings rather than in the mid-30s, and, after this week's Players Championship, only the top 50 qualify for Augusta.

Owen, who now has to refocus on that target, faced a three-foot par putt that would have left him two ahead of Australian Rod Pampling on the final tee.

But he missed it and then carelessly failed to hole the two-footer coming back after not taking due care and attention.

"Just lack of concentration and throw away a tournament," he rued afterwards. "You can accept missing the first putt, but just to throw away a shot like that after the hard work you've done all week is just stupid.

"I don't know how I'll deal with it. It's not going to be easy you don't get many chances to win on the PGA Tour and on a great golf course like this.

"I had it in my pocket. It was there and I threw it away. So we'll find out. Play again next week and see what happens there."

Owen had come from four behind Pampling, covering the first 16 holes in an inspired six under. But then it all went horribly wrong.

"I was very relaxed. I just kept picking a shot and trying to hit it and I did it nearly all day and then I don't know," he added.

"There was nothing that fazed me. I just got on with it. I can't say I got nervous on that putt. I just moved on it, I got quick on it, I just lost concentration. I can't say anything else it was just one of those silly mistakes that I'll be remembered for."

Owen pulled his second to the last into sand, but thought for all the world he had made his 13-footer for a play-off.

It lipped out, though, and on that he commented: "I can't believe that missed. One of them things where it just kicks you in the teeth I hit the best putt of the day and you see it going in and the next thing you turnaround and it's come out.

"It's just one of them things where you say 'well, it wasn't meant to be'."

Winner Pampling stated: "I figured my chances were just about done, so I was sitting back before Greg had putted and just telling myself that I had to make birdie on the last.

"And then, as we all saw, I don't know what to say. Whatever happened to Greg there just gave me that boost of confidence.

"I had started to walk (to the last tee). When he missed that first putt, then I just figured I'm still one behind. And then I caught it on my eye as it came back out and that was obviously a shock.

"You never want to see anyone do that. You just hate it. You don't want to win a tournament like that, but it's such a cruel game.

"There's not one guy who that hasn't happened to. Thankfully it didn't happen to me.

"When we were in signing the cards I just said 'I don't know what to say, but I'm sorry'. He said it's not my fault he did it.

"It's going to leave a huge knot in your stomach to know that you've had it. I suppose a consolation is he has finished second and we all saw Greg play today. He's a great player and he'll definitely get another chance."