Clarke content to be back playing

The English-born American comedic icon Bob Hope once observed: "If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play at it, it's recreation. If you work at it, it's golf." Darren Clarke might have empathised. There are more important aspects to his life at present and it's entirely understandable that he's not about to become unduly animated about his opening round of the Smurfit European Open at the K Club.

It's Thursday, it's 18 holes and it's his first tournament since his wife Heather suffered an adverse reaction to medication that necessitated his withdrawal from the BMW Championship. A three-under-par 69, no matter how meritorious in the conditions - wind allied to a tough golf course - isn't going to stir his senses.

He's content to be playing golf again, especially at a venue and in a tournament that holds fond memories, primarily for his triumph here in 2001 and the course record 60 he shot in 1999. However, he's still finding it a little difficult to concentrate and so hasn't shackled himself with any expectations this week.

"It (the golf) wasn't great, but I got it around. It was good to get back out and play. Some of the (poor) shots I did hit, I didn't get as annoyed as I probably would have. My thoughts were wavering a little bit at times, but it is only natural.

"She's (Heather) doing better; she's had a very tough time of it. She's at home now, turning the corner and getting better." It was at his wife's insistence that he has returned to the tour, armed with a razor- sharp short game honed by hours of practice during his sabbatical from competitive fare.

It stood him in good stead over the Palmer course. Whenever an errant swing threatened to destabilise his round, salvation arrived by wedge or the swish of a blade. "I made some poor swings today and got away with a few. My short game was very, very sharp. When I missed greens I got it up and down and they are almost as good as making a putt for birdie."

Just to make matters more testing, Clarke suffered a knee injury, the extent of which was not immediately obvious, while playing the back nine. He didn't cavil putting it down to a surfeit of weights in the gym.

"Every time I come back here it's getting tougher and tougher so the familiarity is diminishing because it's so hard and was so penal. I believe it's going to get windier at the weekend so it is going to make it even tougher round here."

Damien McGrane preferred a less fraught two under 70. He smiled: "It's about hitting fairways and greens. The greens are good here now and fast so the long putting is quite difficult especially in the wind in the afternoon.

"It's just a matter of grinding it out. I managed to do that and didn't lose the run of myself.

"That's what I'm meant to be doing after all. It's (the K Club) a great test of golf. You know driving in the gates that you have to have your A game with you. You don't get away with any loose shots."

He cited the fact that downwind yesterday it was possible to hit the ball; prodigious distances; he struck a nine-iron 170 yards at one stage.

This, though, makes a virtue of guesstimating rather than utilising the pin-point accuracy of a yardage book. The tournament needs an Irish challenge to sustain the interest over the weekend and along with Gary Murphy, Clarke and McGrane are in the van, much as they'd like to be come Sunday evening.