Clarke returns to scene of glory

IRELAND’S Darren Clarke returns to the scene of his greatest triumph this week when he contests the $5 million Accenture World Match Play Championship at La Costa in California.

It is three years since Clarke humiliated the pride of US golf (his victims included Paul Azinger, Mark O’Meara, Hal Sutton, David Duval and Tiger Woods) and after some recent useful performances in the States is he quietly confident of again making a big impression in an event that sees the top 50 in the world in action for the first time since the NEC World Championship in November.

Clarke comes up against South African Tim Clark in tomorrow’s first round and will be expected to advance. Other big names in this section of the draw are US Ryder Cup players Davis Love III and Jim Furyk but with the game’s best all competing, nobody will have an easy passage. Having been disqualified for signing for an incorrect score a week earlier, Clarke finished a stroke outside the top 10 in Los Angeles at the weekend, closing with a couple of 68s.