Clarke relishing being back in the big time

Darren Clarke will start his first major of the season at Oakland Hills today excited to be back on the world stage.

Clarke, who watched the first three majors of the year on television following his fall down the world rankings, was due to tee off in the 90th US PGA Championship at 6.05pm Irish time today courtesy of an invitation from the PGA of America.

Inspired by Padraig Harrington’s victory at Royal Birkdale last month and a desire to return to Ryder Cup action at Valhalla next month, Clarke’s confidence has been boosted by last week’s tied sixth finish at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

“I really enjoyed last week at the Bridgestone,” Clarke said. “I’ve missed the big tournaments, it’s where I want to play and I want to do the same thing again this week.

“I watch all of them, they’re the biggest events in the world.

“Part of watching it has been tough but it’s been egging me on to work it out.

“I’m trying to get there, I’m working away to do that but I watched Padraig win and the golf he played on that back nine that Sunday was sensational, it was incredible to watch.

“After the struggle that he’d gone through, to be as mentally strong as he was, was fantastic to see and thoroughly deserved.”

Clarke knows he has plenty of work to do if he is to prove to Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo he is worth one of his two picks.

“I have to play really well and if I don’t play really well in the next few weeks there’s no way I would merit a pick. At the end of the day I’ve got to try and play as well as I can this week and we shall see what happens.

“Last week I was very calm and relaxed and I wandered around the golf course. Invariably that’s when I play as well as I can, when I just hit it and find it and hit it again.

“That’s not always, I don’t always get into that way of doing things but that’s when I play my best. I did it last week and I’m going to try and do it this week as well and see how it ends up.”

Ryder Cup points will be as important to many players at Oakland Hills this week as success in the PGA Championship itself – and not just the Europeans.

US Open runner-up Rocco Mediate is on the cusp in 12th place on the US points list, and at 45 years of age is in contention to be a Ryder Cup rookie at Valhalla next month.

Mediate got a confidence boost from US captain Paul Azinger yesterday when he was mentioned as a possible captain’s pick if he did not make the team, but the golfer insists he still has plenty to prove.

“It would be great,” Mediate said. “I still have a lot of stuff to do. One more good shot here to get in the top eight is what we are all looking to do, actually, and then there’s a couple more events after to see what he (Azinger) thinks, which is a great way to do it.

“I think he made a good move in changing the way, instead of having all the picks Monday morning, he’ll watch a few weeks and see who is really playing better.

“It’s something I want to do, of course. I mean, I have another shot. So I told him a year and a half ago that I want to be on that team, and it wasn’t looking good until a month and a half ago, so I’ve got a shot.

“That’s all you can really ask for. It would be a lot of fun, though, I can tell you that.”