Out-of-form Clarke not about to panic

NO panic and no need to panic. That was the definitive message from Darren Clarke last night after he finished the American Express World Championship last but one of the 65 competitors.

To say the least, this was a very poor performance by a man seen as crucial to Europe's prospects in the Ryder Cup starting at The Belfry on Friday. Clarke was patient and philosophical at the finish, claiming: "I had a few good birdie chances early on and didn't take them. Then at the fourth I had 123 yards to the flag and hit a lovely little wedge which pitched four yards short of the flag and trickled into the hazard. I made bogey there. At the next, I flushed my drive off the tee, flushed my next with driver off the fairway on to 30 feet and three putts later I walk off with a par."

He claimed this wasn't maddening, only frustrating, although he says he can't put his finger on why his best finish since winning the English Open in June is 20th while 64th of 65 on an Irish course is somewhere close to humiliation. Given the importance of the week ahead, it is good to see he is not too despondent about it all and indeed has no worries of taking on the Americans on the back of this flop.