Foster on the bag for Clarke

DARREN CLARKE and top caddy Billy Foster are to be reunited as a partnership at the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, on August 12-15 for the third time.

Clarke revealed last night his part-time relationship with veteran Pete Coleman was at an end and with Foster having broken up with his boss, Thomas Bjorn, they were free to work together again.

"Third time lucky," quipped Foster once agreement had been reached.

"I'm genuinely excited at the development but Thomas is a friend of mine and I couldn't and didn't approach Billy until I was sure about their relationship," Clarke said.

So the never-ending caddy merry-go-round on the European Tour continues. The Nissan Irish Open beginning at Baltray this morning sees the return to action of Dave McNeilly, sacked by Pádraig Harrington seven weeks ago and now on the bag of Swedish Ryder Cup player Niclas Fasth. And as one new alliance is forged, another goes by the boards. Billy Foster turned up at Baltray on Tuesday, apparently unaware Bjorn had not only withdrawn from the tournament but was also dispensing with his services.

Clarke and J.P. Fitzgerald are reuniting for this event by an arrangement reached when they split up in April. Fitzgerald has been without a bag and is apparently waiting patiently until somebody with a top 50 world ranking comes along.

When Clarke was told yesterday Pádraig Harrington didn't necessarily regard local knowledge as an advantage, he retorted: "Well, I am going this week with J.P. Fitzgerald because he is a member here. We have grown up playing a lot of golf together here and in other tournaments. I much prefer playing this course knowing where to hit it and where not to hit it. That's me. Pádraig is different. This is just one week with J.P. We organised it earlier in the year."

When it was put to him that there might have been friction between himself and Coleman after the misclubbing error that led to his second shot to the 18th in the first round of the Open at Troon going out of bounds, he insisted: "Absolutely not. None whatsoever. It has been totally amicable. I have nothing but the greatest respect for Pete."

Clarke and Foster had a short innings in the early 90s, only to come back better and stronger than ever from 1995 to the end of 2002 during which a host of tournament wins for the partnership included the 2000 Accenture WGC World Match-Play Championship in California and the European 1997 Ryder Cup triumph when Foster memorably dived into the lake fronting the 17th green at Valderrama once the Europeans clinched victory. They also shared in the 2002 success at The Belfry.

For now, Clarke is happy to have Fitzgerald back on the bag as he leads the challenge on a first home victory in the Irish Open since John O'Leary triumphed at Portmarnock 22 years ago. Having viewed the links on which he captured the 1999 East of Ireland and the Irish Close the following year (beating Pádraig Harrington 3 and 2 in the final) he is thrilled at what he has found.

"It is as fantastic as I remember it," he glowed. "A few new tees will make it a little more tricky but I think they have been mostly great improvements. I'm not sure about the bunkers down the left of the 18th. It used to be a great finishing hole but now a lot of the guys are going to hit irons off the tee to avoid them. But overall it is in fantastic shape, the greens are great and I look forward to getting going.

"There will be the opportunities for some very low scores. I believe the wind is not going to blow that hard and there are a lot of chances out there. The key is to play the par threes well. They are very tough and if you miss them on the wrong side, it is bogey or double so look towards the winner as the guy who plays them well. If you miss, there are run-offs on all the par threes except the 17th - and that will be two or three-iron in the prevailing wind. They are the ones where you have to make three and move on. J.P. says I holed in one at the fifth on the way to winning the East in 1999. That was a long time ago. I don't remember. I know I have had a few sixes as well. What would I call the fifth if I could name it? Get me out of here!

"I'm happy with my game. I holed a few nice putts at Troon on Sunday and hope to continue this week. I have no problems at being made favourite. It is amazing what happens when you hole a few putts. The world is not such a bad place after all."