Clarke gunning for a top 5 spot in ’04
And, having set himself a target of improving his world ranking from 11th to 5th before the end of the year, he needs to get cracking! With his weight now reasonably well under control after daily sessions in the gym combined with careful managing of his diet Clarke is now all set for what he hopes will be one of the best campaigns in his 14 year professional career. He looks back happily enough on 2003: "a climb up the world rankings, victory in the States, a visit to Santa and a lucky escape in a crash and I'm really looking forward to bigger and better things in '04."
It was a good season capped by victory in the WGC NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio, which helped considerably in bumping him up from 29th to 11th in the world rankings, and he says that was pleasing given the number of changes he made at the beginning of the year attitude, caddy, fitness etc.
"I felt vindication and satisfaction when everything came to fruition, when beating the game's best players at Akron," he says. "However, failure in the majors means there's no room for complacency and that there is still plenty of room for improvement. Professionals don't often give away their targets before the season starts but I admit my goal for the new year is a place in the world's top five. To achieve that, I know I will have to play very, very well but it is not beyond me."
Getting the annual schedule right is vital and Clarke admits he did too much travelling towards the end of '03.
"Tiger Woods's tournament in Los Angeles just before Christmas was probably one event too far. A first round 80 meant that my Christmas was about to start earlier than planned."
On arrival home in Surrey, Darren, his wife Heather and two sons Tyrone and Conor, set off for Lapland with his manager, Chubby Chandler, his wife Justine and children Thomas and Romy. He claims that "it took us two days to track Santa down but eventually we all had our pictures taken sitting on his knee. I actually hovered above it but Chubby, who is somewhat heavier than me, actually rested his full weight!"
No sooner was Clarke back in England than he made for Harrods for the Christmas shopping and to take delivery of a trike called Boom, Street Fighter. Well, he may be 35 and one of the wealthiest sportsmen in the world but there's still a bit of a child in Darren.
"My foot slipped off the brake and the machine hurtled forward. I had to make a quick decision do I crash into the car or the side of the house? I opted for the wall of the house and escaped injury."
He wasn't quite so fortunate, though, when tackling ten handicap film star Hugh Grant in a challenge match at Sunningdale on New Year's Eve. Grant won "pulling up" by 4 and 3!
The holidays are over and it's back to full business for Clarke, now in Hawaii preparing for the Mercedes Championship starting at Maui on Thursday (Sky Sports 2, 12 midnight).
It is the first of 13 events he will contest on the US Tour in 2004.
He is also in Hawaii for next week's Sony Open in Honolulu and won't play again until three more American tournaments, the Buick Invitational in San Diego, the Nissan Open in Los Angeles and the WGC World Match Play in Carlsbad in successive weeks in February. He then takes in the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour in early March before heading back to America for the Bay Hill Invitational and Players Championship before a short break leading up to the Masters at Augusta over the Easter week-end.
It's a hectic schedule and one good reason why Clarke surrounds himself with fitness experts and travels either right up at the front of the plane or rents a private aircraft. It's an expensive way of doing things, but don't lose any sleep on that count for big Darren. Apart from all the prize money he accumulates well in excess of €15 million at the end of 2003 he has a long list of sponsors to keep the bank manager happy.
On the corporate side, he has Barclays Capital, Ballyna, Upper Deck and Best of Health. On the golfing side are Titleist/Footjoy (ball, shoe and glove), Antigua (clothing in US), Donnay (clothing in Europe), Pinnacle Point Beach & Golf Club South Africa. And currently pride of place among the vehicles in the garage is a top of the range Jaguar!
Clarke's golf equipment going into 2004 remains largely unchanged: driver Taylormade 510 Tour Preferred with 8.5 degree loft tweaked specially to 8.75 degrees; graphite shaft weighing 95 grams with a shaft quarter of an inch longer than standard. Irons: Taylormade Tour Preferred RAC combo irons with X100 tipped shafts also quarter of an inch longer than standard.
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