Clarke's major ambition can be a reality

Darren Clarke won't have to rely on transatlantic phone communication with Butch Harmon as he prepares for next week's US Open at Pebble Beach. Although he doesn't arrive in California until Saturday, Clarke intends to get down to business straight away and has arranged two private sessions with his coach over the weekend - one on Saturday, the other on Sunday morning - before acquainting himself with the famed links for the first time on Monday.

His successful defence of the English Open at the Forest of Arden on Sunday enabled Clarke to reclaim 13th position in the revised world rankings and moved him further ahead of Colin Montgomerie in the European Order of Merit.

But Clarke has elevated himself to a new level in world golf and, as such, it is the winning of majors that now occupies his mind. So it is that a meeting with Harmon, whose chief pupil is Tiger Woods, is an integral part of Clarke's preparations for the US Open.

"I know I can do it," said Clarke of the impending challenge at Pebble Beach. Indeed, his confidence and skill levels are now back to where they were when he defeated Woods - plus David Duval, Hal Sutton, Mark O'Meara, Paul Azinger and Thomas Bjorn - to become World Matchplay champion in California in February.

"My swing's coming on, my ability to play under pressure is getting better and if I can continue to do that then that's all I can do and I'll take what comes," he said.

"Hopefully it will lead to winning more tournaments. All I'm trying to do is win as many as I can and lift my game to the level where Monty's been for the past few years."

Some of the credit for Clarke's win in the English Open - where he finished with a final round 65 - was attributed to Harmon, who had been watching his pupil on the Golf Channel and then telephoned him with some advice.

"Butch told me what I needed to do, basically to widen my takeaway. He got me to put an umbrella down two inches from the ball on the practice range and swing outside it on the way back," said Clarke, who plans to have a couple of intense sessions on the range with Harmon upon arrival in the States.

Although the swing tip contributed to part of the jigsaw slipping into place on Clarke's way to a seventh European Tour win of his 10-year professional career, a more significant step was taken with his decision to change irons mid-tournament.

Until this year, Clarke had been sponsored by MacGregor and, even after switching his main sponsorship to Dimension Data, he continued to use the company's clubs. However, he switched over to Titleist clubs after his first round last Thursday - and now looks set to stay with them.

"I've no club contract, so I have a free choice over which equipment I can play. It was going to happen sooner or later - it just became sooner."

Asked what he will do with the old ones now, he answered: "I think I'll frame them. They won me a million dollars (in the Andersen Consulting Matchplay) this year!" Clarke was home in Northern Ireland yesterday for a brief visit and will attend a corporate day at Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links today, to which he is attached as tournament professional. After that, it will be back to his Sunningdale base before flying out to America with stable-mate Lee Westwood at the end of the week.

Neither Clarke nor Westwood has played Pebble Beach, but they can touch the other member of the European Tour's "big three" for some advice, as it is the course where Montgomerie made his US Open debut in 1992 - and thought he had won until he was pipped at the post by Jeff Sluman, who was then pipped himself by Tom Kite. Clarke is scheduled to play a practice round on the links on Monday morning.

The only other Irishman in the field for the second major of the year will be Padraig Harrington, who has also decided to miss out on this week's European Tour event - the Welsh Open at Celtic Manor - to fly out to the US west coast to finalise his preparations.

Paul McGinley, who had originally intended to attend final qualifying for the US Open, has decided to change his plans. McGinley, who has secured an automatic place for the British Open at St Andrews in July, but who didn't get direct entry into the US Open, has opted not to attempt to pre-qualify for Pebble Beach and, instead, will play in the Welsh Open.

McGinley is one of six Irish players competing in the Welsh event. Philip Walton has been granted a late sponsor's invitation and will continue his quest to reclaim his tour card, while Gary Murphy, Ronan Rafferty, Des Smyth and Eamonn Darcy are also in the field.

Meanwhile, Keith Nolan will be competing in the Buick Classic at Westchester on the US Tour.