Clarke talks up Ryder credentials

Darren Clarke believes he would be “a good addition” to Europe’s Ryder Cup team – if he can show he is in form over the next two weeks.

No longer able to qualify automatically for Nick Faldo’s side, Clarke returns to action in Holland tomorrow after going back to the North for a 40th birthday bash a week ago.

“I’ve got to play well to have a chance of a wild card,” said the man who was an inspiration to Ian Woosnam’s team two years ago when he won all his three games just six weeks after his wife Heather died of breast cancer.

Clarke, 25th in the points standings, has this week’s KLM Open at Kennemer and next week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland to try to impress Faldo.

“I’m desperate to make it – I’d love to,” he added. “I’m doing everything I can, but whoever Nick picks I’m sure it will be the best team.

“If I don’t play well these two weeks I’d have no complaints if I don’t get picked – it would be totally acceptable. The first tee of a Ryder Cup is not the place to be if you’re not flying on all cylinders.”

Clarke put himself into the picture with a victory in China in April and three weeks ago finished sixth in the Bridgestone world championship in Ohio.

Missing the halfway cut in the US PGA straight afterwards may not look good on paper, but Clarke insisted: “I actually played okay there.

“I’d be the first to say so if I was terrible, but I wasn’t.”

He has been a member of the last five sides and two years ago was the first time he had needed a wild card.

With Irish fans cheering his every move at The K Club, Clarke won both his fourballs with Lee Westwood and then beat Zach Johnson in the singles before dissolving into tears.

He and Westwood have won their last four games together and also had two victories in partnership in Boston in 1999.

Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Open runner-up Ian Poulter and US Tour winner Carl Pettersson also need a wild card as things stand – Poulter could yet qualify – but Faldo has only two to hand out on Sunday week.