Ian Woosnam returns to the European Tour for the first time since the British Open trying to forget the infamous mistake that cost him two shots in the final round at Lytham.

"Obviously, I've thought of nothing else every day since it happened and that's bad enough, but people keep reminding me of it, too, when I just want to get on with things," said the 43-year-old, whose two-shot penalty in the fourth round for having an extra club in his bag cost him $300,000 and a certain place in Europe's Ryder Cup team.

"I just want to try to forget about it and get on with trying to win my Ryder Cup place," added the Welshman ahead of this week's Scandinavian Masters." It's water under the bridge now, as far as I'm concerned. I just want to remember I was third in the Open.

"Winning my Ryder Cup place over the next few weeks is my chief concern now. I have this week, next week in the Wales Open and then the US PGA Championship."

Woosnam can also add the lucrative NEC World Golf Championship after the final major, if he can elbow his way into the top-12 in Europe's Ryder Cup standings from his current 15th.

But Woosnam is aiming higher and he knows victory in the Scandinavian Masters, where 300,000 points are on offer for first place, would seal his place in Sam Torrance's team.

The former US Masters champion spoke to Torrance at the British Open and his captain told him he would be delighted if Woosnam - who began his Ryder Cup career alongside the Scot in 1983 - appears as a player instead of his vice-captain.

"I can do it this week if I get my driving going," Woosnam added. "The driving is my only worry because everything else seems fine."

Woosnam's switch to a similar long-handled putter to Torrance's has turned round his form on the greens, but his errant driving is proving to be the thorn in his side.

A driver he has had made up himself, with a titanium insert, has been vetted by the Royal and Ancient through the European Tour and found to be legal.

Colin Montgomerie is also out to rubber-stamp his Ryder Cup place this week with a good result in the Scandinavian Masters.

Despite his best bid yet for a major when he led the British Open for two rounds, Montgomerie's joint 13th finish at Lytham 10 days ago, coupled with Bernhard Langer's Dutch Open win last week, has left the Scot in one of the three places still under threat.

The Scot, returning to the tour after a week off following his Lytham bid, was pushed down to eighth spot in the table by Langer.