PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- If he’d only had a leash.

Justin Leonard thought about taking Sunday, his four-year-old yellow lab, to the back of the driving range with him. Then he thought better of it.

Leaving her with caddie Brent Everson while the family -- Justin, wife Amanda and daughters Reese and Avery -- had lunch in the clubhouse was one thing. But trying to get a little work done on Monday of THE PLAYERS Championship week with her by his side? Not.

“Go with mom,’’ he said. And, well, Sunday did. Enough of being petted by every player who walked by. It was time find the house, dance around while Amanda unpacked and play with the kids.

“I’ve had her out with me at home, but not here,’’ Leonard said.

With that, he went to work. A day earlier than usual.

“We had lousy weather at home,’’ he said, of the 7 inches of rain that fell in the Dallas area. “We decided to fly in and came straight to the course.’’

He wasn’t alone.

For some reason -- actually for a lot of different reasons -- the locker room was busier than usual on a Monday. By 4 p.m., most of the field -- 89 of the 144 players to be exact -- had checked in and were either practicing or playing.

Former champion Craig Perks and Patrick Sheehan opened the range at 7 a.m. and it stayed busy all day. So did the out-of-sight back area where Leonard joined Butch Harmon, who was holding court with some of his players.

On the main range, players were easing into the week, chatting, telling jokes and weighing in on the Sweet 16. In between shots, that is.

“You try to save your energy,’’ said Harrison Frazar, whose University of Texas Longhorns are in the Sweet 16. “This is a big week and this golf course takes a lot out of you. You want to pace yourself.’’

And shut out distractions.

In the far corner of the range, every major manufacturer had clubs to look at, test or talk about. Some shuttled back and forth to their trailers, regripping and reshafting clubs, fitting players for replacement or backup clubs or doing a little business.

Frazar tried some new irons and a new shaft. In fact, he could have tried just about anything he wanted. But this week, he said, isn’t the week to tinker much with what’s in your bag. You go to this $8 million dance with what brung you.

“You never know when you’re going to pick up that club that changes your life,’’ Frazar said. “One that feels so good, you feel like you can beat anybody with it.

“There are so many reps and tech people here you could try everything and lose a grasp on what you’re trying to do. You have to find yourself a few people you trust and rely on them to tell you what works and what doesn’t.’’

And, no, he didn’t put anything new in the bag. “With what’s at stake this week, this isn’t the Monday you’re going to change.’’

What’s at stake? Well, for starters, the prestige of winning the tournament with the best field in the game. And a five-year exemption.

Defending champion Fred Funk was chirping his way through a little practice, too. A joke here, a story there. And every so often, another request for an interview. Or at the very least, a request to set one up for Tuesday or Wednesday.

Champions Tour President Rick George stopped by to check on Funk, who turns 50 this summer, and visit with his Tour’s three-time champ and leading money winner Loren Roberts, who’ll be playing in his second PGA TOUR event this year. Then, it was off to talk with Nick Price, who turns 50 in January.

In the background, workers were finishing a bit of construction, grounds crews were hard at work and the NBC crew, which made the 2½ hour drive over from Orlando late Sunday night with the production trucks, was out pulling cable to the camera positions.

NBC analyst Roger Maltbie, meanwhile, was taking a look at the course -- a day ahead of schedule. He usually doesn’t come in until Tuesday, but found himself in town and decided to do a little work.

“That so many players are here today,’’ he said, “speaks to the size and importance of the tournament.’’

Most of the talk centered on the clubhouse, which will be torn down next week so a new facility can be in place for 2007, or the hot ticket of the week -- Vijay Singh’s party Monday night. Our invitation must have been lost in the mail.

Humidity kicked in Monday and the heat index scooted up from Sunday’s idyllic conditions, but it was still a perfect way to kick off PLAYERS Week 2006. The only complaint so far? Well, let’s say the lamb served in the player’s dining room wasn’t a favorite.

Just what the week will bring is a mystery. It always is. Could it be another finish like last year when Funk captured the biggest win of his career? A surprise like Perks 2002? A runaway win like Greg Norman in 1994?

Will the Big Five be factors? Or will it be a week where a young face like Luke Donald becomes the next Adam Scott?

We’ll think about that Tuesday. Or maybe Wednesday.

As for Monday? It wasn’t a day to predict or work too hard. Just one to get things started. To ease into the week. To make sure player and caddie had the newest yardage book. To sign a few autographs. To work on any rough edges around your game.

And, if your timing was right, to take a minute to play with Leonard’s dog on the way to the range.