Slimline Clarke aims to take Dubai by storm
The big Dungannon man finished third in the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii on Sunday after shedding 30 pounds and stopping smoking.
"I think the way I played towards the end of November, start of December, you couldn't really describe that as playing," said Clarke.
The fun-loving Ulsterman decided it was not good enough and set about getting in shape with a trainer and the encouragement of fitness fanatic Tiger Woods.
"From New Year's Day, I decided to try and give up smoking. I've managed it so far and I'll keep on trying to stay off them.
"The opening round in Hawaii last Friday was my first-ever competitive round, I think, without having any nicotine in my body. I don't know what's going on really," said the European number two.
Even world number one Tiger Woods has been impressed by the new-look Clarke.
"It's one thing to go on a diet and lose weight. A lot of people do that. But they don't actually gain strength. Darren is doing it the proper way. He's actually gaining some muscle mass so he's getting stronger," said Woods.
The European season part two gets underway with the South African Open this week with the chase for a place in this year's Ryder Cup dominating the Tour.
The 2004 European Tour officially began last December with the Hong Kong Open, won by Padraig Harrington, before going into hibernation until this weekend at Cape Town.
The importance of the Ryder Cup was underlined when former European number one Colin Montgomerie decided to start his season two months early.
Normally the burly Scot waits until March before starting his season but the 40-year-old has signed up for the South African Open.
"I am starting earlier to get my world ranking back up and also Ryder Cup points," admitted Montgomerie.
"Last year was not a good year by my standards and I was very disappointed that my world ranking dropped so much.
"This season I feel a bit like a rookie having worked hard on my game and fitness over the winter, changed my clubs, and I also have a new caddie on the bag.
"I really want to make it into the Ryder Cup team on my own merit and I have been working and will continue to work very hard to ensure this is the case," he added.
Montgomerie failed to win on the European Tour last season and his new-found determination to prove he is not a spent force at 40 threatens to be one of this season's highlights.
Under the latest standings Europe's Ryder Cup team currently stands as Clarke, Lee Westwood, Fredrik Jacobson, Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Thomas Bjorn, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Maarten Lafeber, Carlos Rodiles, Brian Davis, Raphael Jacquelin and Ian Poulter.
But players such as Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Montgomerie are all looking for spots in Bernhard Langer's team to face the Americans in Michigan in September.
It is the chase for Ryder Cup spots that threatens to make the 2004 European season a vintage one.
England's Lee Westwood is another looking leaner and meaner after a fitness regime. After a stint with David Leadbetter and some fitness work with Steve Hampson, he is looking forward to a big year ahead.
Westwood said: "Just after Christmas I started doing some gym work with Steve who has done work with Darren Clarke although I am not trying to shift as much weight as Darren," he said.
"But I wanted to tone up and I have come out this year a little bit fitter just trying to eat the right things and stuff like that.
"I also went to see David Leadbetter for three days and did a lot of work there. I probably hit about 2,000 balls.
"It was building on last year and introducing a few other things we are going to work on this year."
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