Clarke: Major boost is like ‘15th club in the bag’

NOTHING will boost Darren Clarke’s confidence more tomorrow morning at the 93rd PGA Championship than teeing it up at Atlanta Athletic Club as a Major champion.

Clarke, 43 this Sunday, will take his place in the traditional first and second-round grouping of the first three major winners of the year and though his presence alongside Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and, in particular, US Open winner Rory McIlroy for first two rounds will bring a welcome air of familiarity to proceedings, it is his newly-won status of a month ago that will be the real fillip this week.

“Now that I’ve won a first Major Championship, I can come to this week, and the other majors and WGCs I now qualify for, as though I’ve got a 15th club in the bag,” Clarke said.