Howell bid blown off course

David Howell was among those to suffer badly as a swirling wind and really slick greens made life difficult at the Players Championship in Florida.

The current European Tour number one resumed on two under, six behind leader Jim Furyk, but after three double bogeys and a trip to the water he had crashed all the way back to five over par and 71st out of 74.

Howell three-putted from only 10 feet on the short third and from 33 feet at the next to slump out of contention, then ran up a seven on the long ninth after going left with his third shot and chipping over the green.

Out in 42, a six went on his card at the 535-yard 11th when he put his second shot into the lake short of the green.

Lee Westwood was another who had problems, driving into water on the fifth and then double-bogeying the short eighth as well, but thanks to three birdies he was level par with five holes of his third round remaining.

Darren Clarke also ran up a five on the eighth, coming up short of the green and then three-putting from nine feet – and it really took the wind out out of sails after a flying start.

Clarke, who last Saturday equalled his lowest-ever round in America with a 63 at the Bay Hill Invitational, birdied the first and made an 11-foot eagle putt on the second.

Three more birdies followed, but there were also two bogeys and so after 13 holes he stood two under and joint 24th.

Jim Furyk led overnight at eight under, one ahead of 2003 winner Adam Scott and Stephen Ames.

European golf’s man of the moment Greg Owen followed Clarke’s lead with an opening birdie – and it took him into a tie for fourth place on six under.

It was no routine birdie either. Owen drove into a bunker but from there hit a 130-yard approach to 14 feet and made the putt.

Although he did not know it there was a bit of bad news for Owen before he even teed off.

Joint seventh after rounds of 71 and 68 Owen had a twin target for the day - stay in the hunt not only for a first prize of about £875,000, but also for a place in the Masters in a fortnight’s time.

At the start of the week it had been worked out that top 20 might be good enough, but because nearly all the players just ahead of him in the world rankings had also survived the halfway cut it could now take a top 13 finish tomorrow.

Owen would have been a certain starter in the first major of the year but for his blow-out at Bay Hill on Sunday.

All set to lead by two with one hole to play he three-putted from three feet on the 17th and then bogeyed the last to lose by one.

It meant a rise only to 53rd in the world and it is the top 50 who qualify for the Masters after this week’s event.

Ian Poulter, who needs a top-three finish tomorrow for Augusta, had re-ignited his hopes with a second round 68 for four under, but when he went left off the third tee and bogeyed he slipped to 25th place.

Tiger Woods was one stroke further back after two bogeys and a birdie in his first six holes.