Clarke hoping Bethpage is just what the doctor ordered

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON isn’t the only Irishman these days struggling to put some decent scores together.

There was a time when Darren Clarke was regarded as an even hotter property than his compatriot and for many years was the only other player in the world apart from Tiger Woods to capture two World Golf Championships, the 2000 World Match Play Championship and the NEC at Akron, Ohio in 2003. In those days, he was a regular in the top 10 in the rankings.

However, personal tragedy struck in the mid 90s as his wife, Heather, battled breast cancer before succumbing to the illness in August, 2006. Even though he played a heroic part in Europe’s Ryder Cup success at The K Club a few weeks later, his game was never the same for the next 18 months or so. But the class was always there and in 2008 he hit back with wins in the Asian Open and the Dutch Open and rocketed from a low of 225th to 61st in the rankings.