Mature Clarke believes his mental game is in order

A church mouse would have made more noise. It's been eerie, in fact. Darren Clarke has just been so quiet in the build-up to the 128th British Open. Lesson learned?

"Maybe," he says, before expanding: "Last year I was really up for it, and it didn't work out. This time round, I've been taking things a little bit easier, not rushing around the place so much."

After Troon in 1997, when he led on the last day before eventually finishing tied-second, Clarke had roared into Birkdale for last year's Open like an upbeat city slicker. He loved the course. The form was good. His confidence couldn't be higher.

But he didn't stay for the weekend. He admits, now, that he probably got too intense. A valuable lesson administered, and not forgotten.

This is the big one for Clarke. A player with a genuine love, and appreciation, for links courses, the Open Championship is the major that he wants more than anything else in golf. "I want to do well every time I play in the Open," he says.

This year is no different, but the intensity of 1998 is absent; a more mature player is ready for the fray, and for the battle of mind and body that the next few days will present to everyone.

The mental game will be crucial. This is no place for a demonstration of angst, or to feel the whole world is against you.

"You're going to have a world class winner this week. Everybody is going to have some good bounces and some bad bounces, and the guy that can deal with those bounces the best is going to be your champion," states Clarke.

Last Saturday, after finishing the Loch Lomond with a 66, Clarke was in buoyant form. Even before heading for the recorder's cabin, the first duty of any professional, he stopped to sign a number of autographs for youngsters. A man at ease.

Yesterday, in Carnoustie, Clarke's demeanour was relaxed, laid-back and, at the same time, utterly positive. No big predictions, just confidence and pragmatism about the task at hand.

The ability of players' to accept bogeys, or even double bogeys, and shake them off. The mental toughness to deal with that. When he was queried about his ability to do that, he responded: "I did it at Pinehurst."

Indeed, Clarke made a telling observation when he added: "Par is going to be everybody's friend this week. You know that every time you get a par down on the scorecard that it is going to be so much better. You have to accept it, and carry on. Par is a good score on every hole. That's how tough it is out there."

It's interesting to note that in eight previous British Open appearances, Clarke has failed to make the cut just twice: last year, and in 1992. The Ulsterman's winnings in the championship have totalled £204,000, and his best finish was, obviously, in 1997 when he tied for runner-up alongside Jesper Parnevik behind champion Justin Leonard.

Paul McGinley's appearances haven't been as consistent - four missed cuts in six appearances - but he too knows what it is like to top the British Open leaderboard.

Three years ago, at Royal Lytham and St Annes, McGinley shared the midway lead with Tom Lehman. "At least I know that I've half-done the job already," he remarks, "although I realise the more important half is the second one."

Yesterday, shortly before noon, McGinley headed off for a practice round with Lee Westwood, Ian Woosnam and Bradley Hughes, the Australian. His mood has improved since surviving the final qualifying at Panmure. "I've been disappointed with my game the past couple of weeks, but that was a great way to qualify and it has left me very upbeat.

"The British Open is special. It is the high point of our year, and the thought of missing it was something I didn't want to think about."

In the event, the manner of his survival, holing a five-foot putt to get up and down at the 18th, which got him into a play-off, and then winning his duel with David Sutherland thanks to a four-footer at the fourth tie hole. "That was very positive for me," he says, "because putting was the area of my game that has been causing me concern."

Likewise, Padraig Harrington, who booked his place in the Open thanks to final qualifying at Panmure. In his three previous Open appearances he has finished tied-18th, tied-fifth and missed the cut last year.

"Panmure was actually good preparation for Carnoustie - there was gorse along many of the fairways which demanded good accuracy, and that is going to be vital around here," he said.