A true matchplay masterstroke

Despite all that has happened in the last eight months, including the arrival of a second son, memories of La Costa are never far from Darren Clarke's consciousness. Indeed, only last week at Portmarnock Links he recalled the message which Tiger Woods had left on his locker when it was all over.

"The first part of the message read: `Darren congrats again. Be proud.'," said the Tyroneman. "But you couldn't repeat the second part in a family newspaper."

Those who heard the outburst from the world number one when he sent his drive from the 18th tee into the Pacific during the US Open last June can use their imagination. But whatever about its content, the message emphasised the respect which Clarke had earned during a week of extraordinary matchplay achievement.

Over five successive days at La Costa, he had beaten Paul Azinger, Mark O'Meara, Thomas Bjorn, Hal Sutton, David Duval and Tiger Woods. All of them are Ryder Cup players and the latter two happened to be the world number two and number one at that time.

A closer examination of Clarke's play at the weekend, when the pressure was at its most intense, reveals that from the halfway point of his 18-hole semi-final against Duval, up to and including the eighth, where he went four up against Woods, in the second round of their 36-hole final, he shot 15 birdies in 33 holes. In the process, he produced a classic matchplay performance, consistently hitting his approach shots inside his opponent and then putting so well that Woods felt he had to get up and down for a half, from the middle of almost every fairway.

As the Tyroneman remarked: "I think Tiger's length was to my benefit, because it gave me the opportunity of hitting the greens first at the par fours. And because my iron play was pretty strong, I was hitting the ball close. So, as soon as I got it in there, the pressure was on Tiger to try and get inside me." The unlikely nature of such a development wasn't lost on Nelson Luis, the official interviewer in the media tent. "Well Darren, to go from a missed cut at Riviera (in the Nissan Open the previous week) to Andersen Consulting World champion in nine days can't be bad," he said, with classic understatement.

To which Clarke responded: "Of course any time you win a tournament is fantastic, but to play against Tiger, the number one player in the world and come out on top, is a really great feeling. And the 64 best players in the world were here this week."

His achievement was probably best summed up, however, by Butch Harmon, the coach he shares with Woods. "Darren did to Tiger what Tiger's been doing to other people," said the Las Vegas-based guru. "It was very much a mixed day for me in that I felt so happy for Darren but really sad for Tiger."

For his part, Clarke had the inner confidence to engage in a gentle, psychological tussle with his rival. For instance, when he was on the practice range on the morning of the final, looking at Harmon working with Woods, he shouted across: "I'm okay Butch. I don't need anything. I'm fine." And when the pair were level after the morning round, Clarke sat down and smoked a cigar while Harmon and Woods headed once more for the practice area.

Some of the more corpulent US scribes delighted in Clarke's self-deprecating attitude to his ample, 18st 7lb frame. In more serious moments, however, the champion conceded that he had to get into better shape. And a slighter silhouette has been evident to observers in recent weeks, especially during a final round of 65 in the Turespana Masters in which he finished fourth behind Padraig Harrington.

Through his La Costa triumph, Clarke became the first Irish sportsperson to capture a $1 million prize. Yet his victory hasn't brought about a significant boost in his commercial earnings this year, largely because of consistently strong performances which have kept him close to the top-10 of the world rankings.

Meanwhile, he has been enough of a realist to accept that his 4 and 3 victory over Woods doesn't necessarily place him alongside a player who has captured a record-equalling three major championships this year. "I beat Tiger because I happened to play to my best when he wasn't quite at his best," he said. "That's the only way he is ever going to be beaten - when he has a bit of an off-day."

Perhaps the most important aspect of Clarke's success at La Costa was that all of the world's top players were in the field, making it a true test of matchplay supremacy. That won't be the case when he defends the title at the Metropolitan GC in Victoria, Australia, on January 3rd to 7th, when Woods will be the most notable absentee. And with an increasing reluctance on the part of Americans to travel overseas, we may not see a return to a full-strength line-up until the event returns to their homeland.

So, whatever about taking pride in an Irish achievement, it may be some time before Clarke's performance can be seriously rivalled by any of the game's leading players.