Clarke: I need to get fitter

DARREN CLARKE has vowed to get fitter as he bids to improve on recent disappointments.

A pacesetting 66 in the first round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday was followed by a frank admission from the Irishman listed at 16-and-a half-stone by the European Tour that his fitness was the main reason he did not win the Masters.

Clarke led by three after an opening 66 at Augusta, but because of bad weather had to play 28 holes on Friday and 26 on Saturday. By the time it was over he was nine behind and out of the hunt.

After taking a one-stroke lead this time over Scot Alastair Forsyth, Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and South African James Kingston, he was asked what he had learnt in the first major of the season.

"That I'm probably a little bit too heavy," answered the 34-year-old.

"I wasn't fit enough to cope with the challenge that was presented. I wasn't as mentally sharp as I needed to be because I'm not in as good a shape as I needed to be."

Coming as it did only two weeks after he had finished a round at the Players Championship with two bogeys, the evidence was overwhelming.

"There are mistakes creeping in at the end of the round that are happening too frequently for me to ignore.

"With me trying to identify reasons why I have not been doing so well as I should be it's pretty logical to take a look at the one area I haven't addressed."

Clarke has taken on a personal trainer who has already introduced a new, higher carbohydrate diet and he said next week the trainer will "start putting me through my paces".

And while cigars remain in the bag as he plays, the Ryder Cup star is now to be found munching energy bars and raisins.

"I'm a bit more serious about what I'm doing than for quite some time my commitment is a lot stronger than it was before.

"I was not fulfilling what I felt I could do," he added.

The changes were initiated by manager Andrew Chandler known as 'Chubby' himself and wife Heather.

"They kept chipping away, but I'm pretty thick to get through to," Clarke said.

Clarke did not drop a stroke over a West Course on which he has twice finished second to Ian Woosnam in 1997 and Colin Montgomerie in 2000.

Patience, not always his strong point in the past, paid off when he followed eight opening pars with birdies at the ninth, 11th and 12th.

Then, with Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell already in with 68s, he jumped clear of them with an 18-foot eagle putt on the 571-yard 17th and two-putt birdie at the 531-yard last.

Former paratrooper Jaidee, like Kingston making his debut in the event, is playing only because Indian Jyoti Randhawa, who leads him on the Asian Order of Merit, had visa problems.

Rose was the only player other than Clarke to keep a bogey off his card.

World number two Ernie Els stood one over after 11 holes, but then chipped in for eagle at the next and birdied the 13th and last for a 69 the same as Montgomerie.

In the group on 68 are 45-year-old Woosnam and Jose Maria Olazabal.

Afterwards Olazabal was asked about his former Ryder Cup partner Seve Ballesteros, who was fined and severely reprimanded by the tour for his Italian Open outburst and then withdrew yesterday citing flu symptoms.

"He is not feeling very happy about the whole situation and I don't blame him at all," said Olazabal.

"I am not saying anything at the moment, just in case I will talk to the people I feel I have to talk to in private.

"I guess that's how things are supposed to be done on this tour from what I see. I am not 100% happy about the whole situation on this tour myself, but I don't think this is the right time to talk.

"We are what we are thanks to a lot of people, but I think in particular to Seve.

"I think nobody can deny that. Obviously more players helped to bring the European tour to where it is now, but Seve was the first one that made it possible by all his achievements around the world.

"I think everybody should not forget that."