A moving letter from a lost friend

Prior to the USPGA Championship in Atlanta last month, Darren Clarke and former Irish international Dougie Heather, played fourball golf with two Americans, Davis Sezna senior and junior. They were useful competitors, as they needed to be around such celebrated terrain as Pine Valley.

In fact the father played off two and the 22-year-old son, known affectionately as Deeg, was a solid five-handicapper. And at the time, Davis Jnr was bubbling with the enthusiasm of youth, regarding a job he had just landed in the World Trade Centre in New York and about his plans to see an apartment there.

Later, by way of appreciation for the thrill of playing against one of the world's leading professional, he wrote a letter to Clarke. And he wrote another letter to Clarke's manager, Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, who arranged the memorable get-together and was actually there in another group.

"They were lovely notes," said Chandler. "I received mine after the customary four or five days but Darren headed off to Japan and from there to the US. So he didn't get the chance to read his mail until he arrived home on Friday, September 14th, after the cancellation of the American Express tournament in St Louis." Deeg Sezna started his sixth day in his new job on the morning of Tuesday, September 11th.

"His office was on the 101st floor of the World Trade Centre," said Clarke. "He never had a chance." The Tyroneman went on: "He thanked me for the game and looked forward to playing again. The letter was too moving for words."

In the meantime, Heather had taken photographs during the Pine Valley match. "There was a particularly nice one of young Davis and Darren, so I had enlargements made," he said. "My intention was to have them signed by Darren before sending them off to Davis as a memento of our day together . . ."

The horrific events of that fateful Tuesday and the consequent postponement of the Ryder Cup leaves Europe with no regular tournament action this week. And for the first time in recent years, Clarke has a completely free week, free even from corporate commitments until next Tuesday afternoon.

"It will be an opportunity to take Tyrone (his three-year-old son) to the range," he said. Then, as a suitably proud father, he added: "He's good. In fact he can hit the ball 80 or 90 yards." Clarke has been profoundly affected by the events in the US. By his own admission the Dungannon-born player "lost a few people in the Troubles", and one recalls the extremely positive manner in which he reacted to the Omagh bombing of August 1998. Within a month, he had raised £375,000 Stg for the relief fund by organising a one-day pro-am at Portmarnock Links.

"These atrocities are beyond comprehension," he said. "They crossed a moral boundary. What happened at home has been terrible, terrible. But this event killed more than 6,000 people. Crazy, just crazy."

Meanwhile, Chandler is unhappy about the decision to re-schedule future Ryder Cups for even-numbered years. "It means that some very promising players such as Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Nick Dougherty won't get the chance to play Ryder Cup golf for three years," he said.

By capturing the Lancome Trophy in a dramatic, late surge on Sunday, Sergio Garcia ended his season in Europe with his third win on this side of the Atlantic. He also consolidated seventh position in the world rankings, where he remains a place ahead of Clarke. In fact there has been no movement in the top 10.

Meanwhile, Jean Van de Velde, who was one of the most famous sportsmen in the world two years ago, is about to be removed from the European Tour's Order of Merit - and his future placed in the hands of the tour's executive director Ken Schofield.

Van de Velde was a lowly 54th in the Lanc⌠me Trophy, leaving him 146th in the money list in Europe to go with his lowly 152nd on the American circuit.

The Paris event was only the sixth that the 35-year-old has played in Europe this year and because it is a condition of membership to play 11 and he does not plan any more his performances will shortly be wiped off the slate.

What happens then is that, according to the regulations, he "shall not be eligible for reinstatement to PGA European Tour membership, without the written permission of the executive director, until the lapse of 24 calendar months from the date of termination of membership or date of last such conflicting tournament in which he shall have participated, whichever is the later".

However, Van de Velde can expect Schofield to look kindly on him - he has been a staunch supporter of the tour for a decade.