GOLF: Wildcard reject Thomas Bjorn has admitted being glued to the television for the final day of Europe's latest Ryder Cup success, despite vowing not to watch the event. The Dane, who made the promise after missing out on Ian Woosnam's team, could not take his eyes off Sunday's singles at The K Club, which saw Europe clinch a hat-trick of wins in emphatic fashion.

"It was fantastic, magnificent," Bjorn enthused yesterday as he practised with man-of-the-moment Darren Clarke ahead of the American Express World Championship, which starts at The Grove near Watford tomorrow.

"It was a performance that was out of this world and for any European-born player that's just brilliant to watch. The whole thing gelled and those 12 guys played for the whole tour."

It is a complete turnaround from the position Bjorn adopted when Woosnam favoured Lee Westwood over him for the final wildcard spot three weeks ago. Then, he launched an attack on Europe's captain that was so vitriolic, the European tour fined him a reported record sum of £10,000.

Bjorn described Woosnam as "pathetic" and "barmy", adding: "This will be the first time I won't even watch the Ryder Cup on television and you don't know how sad that is given how much I care for the tournament and for the European Tour."

But, as well as being gripped by Sunday's events, Bjorn was getting updates on his mobile phone every 15 minutes when with his wife in Venice during Friday's and Saturday's proceedings.

Now the 35-year-old, who has been tipped as a future captain ever since he established himself as one of the stars of the circuit, has apologised and is getting on with his career.

Woosnam said on Monday - the morning after the record-equalling nine-point win over the Americans - that while Bjorn's attack had "hurt me a lot", he wants to move on too. As the team flew out of Dublin on Monday, Woosnam said the next time he sees his former team-mate, his reaction would be to "shake him by the hand and say 'it's gone'."

Eleven of Woosnam's side - all except Paul McGinley - are in the 63-strong field for this week's event. The only Americans missing are Vaughn Taylor - who, like McGinley, failed to qualify - and Phil Mickelson, who decided not to play even before his miserable half a point from five games in Ireland.

This is the first time the World Golf Championships have visited Britain since they were launched in 1999. Tiger Woods is the defending champion, having beaten John Daly in a play-off in San Francisco last year, when Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson finished two shots back in third place.

Woods is trying not only to win the title again, but also to achieve a sixth successive strokeplay victory.

TEE TIMES

1st tee Thursday, 10th tee Friday

1130 and 1236 KJ Choi (Kor), Paul Broadhurst, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)

1141 and 1247 John Bickerton, Michael Campbell (Nzl), Dean Wilson

1152 and 1258 Johan Edfors (Swe), Nick O'Hern (Aus), Bart Bryant (USA)

1203 and 1309 Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn), Stewart Cink (US)

1214 and 1320 Stuart Appleby (Aus), David Toms (USA), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa)

1225 and 1130 Padraig Harrington (Ire), Robert Allenby (Aus), JJ Henry (USA)

1236 and 1141 Jim Furyk (USA), Trevor Immelman (Rsa), Robert Karlsson (Swe)

1247 and 1152 Lee Westwood, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Tom Pernice (USA)

1258 and 1203 Darren Clarke (Ire), Tiger Woods (USA), Rod Pampling (Aus)

1309 and 1214 Chad Campbell (USA), Paul Casey, Thongchai Jaidee (Thai)

1320 and 1225 Anthony Wall, Ben Crane (USA), Stephen Ames (Can)

10th tee Thursday, 1st tee Friday

1141 and 1236 David Howell, Arron Oberholser (USA), Thaworn Wiratchant (Thai)

1152 and 1247 Tim Clark (Rsa), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Scott Verplank (USA)

1203 and 1258 Chris DiMarco (USA), Colin Montgomerie, Craig Parry (Aus)

1214 and 1309 Luke Donald, Brett Wetterich (USA), Adam Scott (Aus)

1225 and 1320 Tim Herron (USA), Vijay Singh (Fij), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa)

1236 and 1141 Lucas Glover (USA), Angel Cabrera (Arg), Henrik Stenson (Swe)

1247 and 1152 Carl Pettersson (Swe), Brett Quigley (USA), Jyoti Randhawa (Ind)

1258 and 1203 Sean O'Hair (USA), Retief Goosen (Rsa), Thomas Bjorn (Den)

1309 and 1214 Ernie Els (Rsa), Ian Poulter, Tom Lehman (USA)

1320 and 1225 Toru Taniguchi (Jpn), Zach Johnson (USA), Simon Dyson