Clarke resumes and aims to `improve'

Life goes on, even for golf's newest million dollar winner. But things can never be the same again for Darren Clarke and, whether he likes it or not, he has to adjust to dealing with celebrity status in a sport that's never afraid to reward its superstars, either financially or by elevating them to a kind of god-like stature.

The past few days have opened his eyes, and he has spent his time coming to terms with the enormity of his win and trying to get his feet back down to earth. Among the mad tizzy of letters, faxes, e-mails and phonecalls he has received since beating world number one Tiger Woods in the world matchplay final have been congratulatory messages from the President, Mrs McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble.

"To be honest, I haven't had time to read them all yet," said Clarke. "I've only been home for a few hours, but I have read President McAleese's letter. It said how proud everyone in Ireland was of my achievement, and it gives me great satisfaction to hear that. At the time, when I was playing, I didn't actually think of anything but winning. Now, the enormity of doing that has started to sink in."

Clarke only arrived here yesterday, the eve of the Dubai Desert Classic at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. It was an untypically late arrival, but quite understandable in the circumstances, and it led to a day of hand-pumping - fellow professionals, caddies and European Tour officials all eager to join the circus of congratulations - a request to open a new putting green and, the downside, a six hours-plus round in the pro-am.

Tanned, but visibly tired, Clarke confided: "I'm shattered!" Yet, the twinkle in his eye was sufficient evidence that he was enjoying the attention, and he added, "a really good night's sleep and I'll be ready to go again".

And, ironically, one of his playing partners for the first two rounds will be Mark O'Meara, one of the men he conquered en route to his matchplay success.

One of Clarke's targets now must be the Order of Merit. His win in La Costa has propelled him to the top of the moneylist and he has a Stg £594,344 headstart on Colin Montgomerie, the player who has topped the European Tour Order of Merit for the past seven years.

Intriguingly, Monty was in no mood to get involved in a game of catch-up. Not just yet, anyway. "My calculator says it's only March 1st," he responded when informed of the size of the deficit on Clarke. But the accompanying grimace probably informed more than his actual words.

"It was super to see what Darren did," observed Montgomerie. "To beat the world's number two player (David Duval) and the world's best player (Woods) over the weekend, in America, on their own patch on the West coast where they had been playing all the time, was a great effort and all credit to him."

Montgomerie remains hungry, though. "I have improved every year since I turned professional. I am always ambitious, and I'm as ambitious as I have ever been."

"Right now I'm trying to get this major thing settled and try to do well in other world championship tournaments. If I play well, things will happen."

Likewise, Clarke is intent on learning and improving. "My aim is to improve and put myself into a position to challenge for tournaments. Like the Ryder Cup, this is something to draw on. I set my targets high anyway and I've got to measure up to them myself. I want to keep on getting better."

Although the tournament purse of £850,000 here is only marginally more than the winner's cheque that Clarke pocketed in California, a high-quality field has been assembled that also features Lee Westwood, Jose-Maria Olazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez and American Ryder Cup duo O'Meara and Justin Leonard.

Clarke is one of six Irish players in the field. Paul McGinley, who has enjoyed a solid start to his season which has him in 16th place in the moneylist, Eamonn Darcy, Des Smyth, Ronan Rafferty and Gary Murphy are also competing and, naturally enough, hoping for some inspiration from the Ulsterman's success.

Certainly, the set-up at the Dubai Creek course is first class. This is a millionaires playground - with majestic yachts anchored close to the 18th green - and the course has improved immensely since it staged the event last year.

"The greens are lightning fast," professed tour rookie Murphy. Yet, nobody is complaining - and the feel-good factor for the European Tour that Clarke's win in the world matchplay pervades all around this lovely setting.

Would it be asking too much for Clarke to win again? Probably. But then, as events last week proved, always expect the unexpected in professional golf tournaments.