Clarke keeps his game in top gear

Darren Clarke has seven cars. He has just taken delivery of a Mercedes CL 55 and there is a Ferrari, his third, awaiting collection at a garage in England. Oh, and for those who are interested, he also owns three houses.

It's not that the big Dungannon man is materialistic, he simply harbours a passion for cars. It's not that he likes to parade his wealth, it's just that, after a brief scrutiny of the nuts and bolts of his excellent, four-under par 68, conversation strayed to the latest gizmo to which he had taken a shine: it's the Mercedes.

His willingness to divulge his latest purchases reflected his relaxed and contented demeanour. He had played extremely well in yesterday's first round of the Smurfit European Open at the K Club, slightly better than the 68 suggests. He missed just three greens in 18 holes, two of those by no more than six inches, a remarkable effort given the severity of the rough and the premium placed on keeping the ball on the fairways. Big D had every right to luxuriate in a fine morning's work.

"I played very nicely this morning. I had a lot of birdie opportunities, a lot of close ones, but the course was playing tough. To go out and get off to a good start was a pleasant change for me."

Despite the absence of anything more taxing than a light breeze, the par fives were playing to their full length, something to which Clarke alluded.

"The little breeze that was out there wasn't really favouring (us on) any par fives. Because of that they were playing tough. The 10th, where I started, was out of range. At the 16th, I had 260 yards to the front (for my second shot) and I wasn't going to take that on over water. At the fourth, they had the flag tight over the bunkers and maybe just out of reach, so you've got to get lucky to get it close because they are playing pretty tough.

"Clarke enjoyed the perfect start, a drive, three-wood and nine iron setting up a six foot birdie opportunity of which he availed. He dipped further under the card at the 15th when a drive and seven iron to 15 feet preceded another birdie.

Arguably his finest shot of the nine came on the 18th. Bunkered off the drive, he extricated himself and then hit a glorious nine iron from 133 yards to a foot. Three under at the turn, the Dungannon man was smoking in more ways than one. He tempered his disappointment at missing from six and 12 feet for birdies on the first and second, remaining patient.

A delicate chip secured a par at the third, his 12th, and on the par five fourth he hit his loosest shot of the round when he failed failing to cut his three-wood second shot: he still made par. His final birdie of the round came at the fifth, holing from 30 feet.

It probably helped that the Irishman was ensconced in a Celtic tussle: his playing partners, Scotland's Paul Lawrie and Ian Woosnam of Wales, shooting 70 and 69 respectively.

Lawrie will rue, a sloppy pitch on seven and a three-putt on nine from 15 feet that cost him a couple of shots. Woosnam showed great tenacity in carving out his score, hampered by a misbehaving driver.

The key virtue yesterday, and one that is likely to be equally important over the weekend, three rounds is patience, something to which both Clarke and Woosnam alluded.

The Dungannon man accepted that he tried to consolidate the good position he had established for himself during the round. "Yes, a little bit. The course is set up in a way that it rewards (you) for keeping it on the fairways and getting it on greens.

"When I got off to a good start I was still giving myself chances but at the same time you have got to make sure to get it on the fairways otherwise you are going to drop shots."

Clarke did concede that the course is harder now than when he shot 60 two years ago. He boasts an impressive pedigree in this tournament at this venue but one senses the mental crutch of past achievements. He's happy, he's swinging well and he's motoring early.