New Links joins battle for Ryder Cup venue

A third European Tour event looks to be set for this country next year, as an addition to the Murphy's Irish Open and the Smurfit European Open. It is currently being planned for the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links, as part of an attempt to stage the Ryder Cup in 2005.

Colin Maclaine, the venue's chairman, confirmed the move yesterday when details of a new sponsorship deal with Darren Clarke were announced. The 29year-old is to represent Portmarnock Links as their touring professional on a rolling contract.

Referring to the Ryder Cup, McLaine said: "When we asked Ken Schofield (executive director of the European Tour) what we needed to do to be considered for it, he told us we would have to be a proven tournament venue. Only then would we be competing on the same level as the other leading applicants.

"So, we will either have to get the Irish Open here or come up with a sponsored event of our own. And we have only a year in which to do so, as a decision on the Irish venue is expected to be made at the end of the 1999 tournament season."

Maclaine added: "We already have the necessary sponsors within this company to take up the second option and we are actively involved at the moment in putting a package together." The venue is owned by a consortium involving the International Management Group, Columbia Investments (Dr Tony O'Reilly), businessman Gerry Buckley and Fitzwilliam Hotels.

As a former chairman of the Royal and Ancient's championship committee, Maclaine knows what the staging of a major event entails. And as a long-time member of Royal Lytham and St Annes GC (6,857 yards), he is also aware that, while frequently criticised for its lack of length, the Portmarnock Links (6,886 yards) compares very favourably with the celebrated Lancashire venue.

"In golfing parlance, we're two down on the first tee at the moment," he admitted. "But we intend to rectify that imbalance and become very credible challengers for the Ryder Cup. And we will be looking to Darren and our course designer, Bernhard Langer, to help us to do so."

Clarke took over his new role with remarkable ease. While officials were desperately seeking an XXL sweater for him to wear at yesterday's formalities, he informed them that he had slimmed down to an XL over the last few months - a size which posed them no problems.

"I'm really anxious to get back into tournament action again," he said, referring to one of his lengthiest periods of inactivity since turning professional. Clarke's last tournament outing was in the Australian Open in early December.

Since then, he has been busy negotiating the purchase of a new home in Sunningdale, where he and his wife, Heather, moved last week. Heather is expecting their first child in the first week in August, and Clarke seems satisfied that the arrival will not interfere with his plans to play the USPGA Championship a week later.

Of immediate concern to him, however, is the doubt which threats of war against Saddam Hussein have cast over the staging of the Desert Classic in Dubai, starting on February 26th. Clarke plays in the Malaysian Open next week and he hopes to start his European Tour season in Dubai, followed by the inaugural Qater Masters a week later.

"If there are problems in the Persian Gulf, I plan to look elsewhere for tournament activity," he said. "My first move will be to try to get into the Nissan Open in Los Angeles in the same week as Dubai. It would simply mean going to the US two weeks early."

Clarke is awaiting confirmation of his acceptance into the field for the Bay Hill Invitational on May 19th to 22nd. He is a definite starter in the Players' Championship a week later, in the US Masters on April 9th to 12th and in the MCI Classic on the week after Augusta.

Instead of playing in the New Orleans Open the week before the Masters, he will go to Chateau Elan, outside Atlanta, where he will practise on what he expects to be very slick greens. "I will then head for Augusta on the Thursday or Friday before Masters week," he said.

The Ulsterman is delighted with the move from Portrush to Sunningdale which, he claims, will save him eight hours per week - four hours each way - on flights out of Heathrow.

A professional golfer who suffers from a debilitating circulation disorder may use a cart in golf tournaments, a judge yesterday ruled in Eugene, Oregon. The judge made his ruling under a law that protects the rights of the disabled.US Magistrate Thomas Coffin said golfer Casey Martin (25), should be allowed to use a cart from hole to hole because the US Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) had not proved it would alter the sport.