Clarke happy with Gleneagles

It was a very different Darren Clarke who spoke about Gleneagles yesterday to the one who five years ago lashed into the course chosen for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

Before playing the pro-am on the eve of the Johnnie Walker Championship Clarke commented: “I’ve heard all about the changes they have done. I haven’t played all of them yet, but the ones that I saw yesterday certainly were massive improvements. With this whole sub-air system that they have put in, it will suck the moisture out of the greens and they will be much, much better.”

After a first-round 73 in 2007 the Irishman tore into the PGA Centenary Course, the lay-out selected for the first Ryder Cup in Scotland since 1973.

“I think it is unbelievable,” Clarke said then. “There are even two better ones here at Gleneagles.

“Scotland is the home of golf and we should not be playing on an American-style course — it’s beyond my comprehension.”

In addition to improving the drainage original designer Jack Nicklaus was brought back in and made changes, most significantly to the ninth and 18th holes.

Clarke last played in the event in 2008, but his return now is being linked to the fact that he is seen as a leading candidate — along with fellow Irishman Paul McGinley — to be Europe’s captain in two years’ time. Both have been appointed along with Thomas Bjorn as three of Jose Maria Olazabal’s four assistants for next month’s match in Chicago.

“Is my hat in now? I think it’s a case of if the Ryder Cup committee were to ask me to be captain then I think it would be disrespectful to say ’no’, wherever they asked me,” he said.