Mentor Montgomerie puts Clarke on the right track

THE public perception of Colin Montgomerie often equates to that of a rather surly character, one who doesn't know what it is like to smile on a golf course. Yet, Darren Clarke experienced the other, more caring, side of Europe's number one a position the Scot has retained for a fourth successive year - when the pair met for a heart to heart talk in Switzerland last month.

Monty initiated the discussion, seeking out Clarke during the European Masters at Crans sur Sierre. "When someone like Colin takes the time to find you and sit you down for a chat, you're inclined to listen," said Clarke, recalling an incident which turned out to be a significant contribution in the Irishman's second Tour win achieved in impressive fashion at the German Masters on Sunday.

Over the past month or so the jigsaw has slotted into place for Clarke a change in coach to Peter Cowen, who helped him understand his swing; a return visit to putting guru Harold Swash, who enabled him to regain his confidence on the greens; and that talk with Montgomerie, which was a tremendous morale boost.

Now, there are a number of targets which Clarke and, indeed, fellow Irishmen Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley can aim for over the closing weeks of the season, including possible entry into next year's US Masters and US Open championships to spur them on. The top 15 players in the European Tour Order of Merit gain exemption into the US Open, but the entrance criteria for the Masters are quite different and depend very much on an invitation from the Augusta National powers that be.

Clarke (who is currently seventh, with stablemates Lee West wood and Andrew Coltart in his sights) has set himself a target of a top six finish in the Order of Merit in the hope of gaining an invitation to Augusta. Yesterday his manager, Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, admitted, Darren would be desperately unlucky not to get an invitation if he manages to achieve that finish.

Clarke and McGinley have already secured exemptions into the British Open at Troon next year thanks to their top 15 finishes in this year's championship at Lytham, while the qualifying criteria for the fourth major, the US PGA, differs somewhat from the others, although generally the top 50 players in the Sony world rankings gain admittance. On that front, Clarke's win in Berlin has enabled him to jump up to 61st place in the world (from 86th place last week), while McGinley is in 87th place and Harrington 95th.

Montgomerie's gesture in having a talk with Clarke may appear rather alien to the Scot's nature to most observers. It wasn't to Chandler. "Colin is an animal on the course, but he is quite a different person off it," remarked Chandler.

So it was that the world number two sought out Clarke on the eve of the European Masters and undertook an in depth discussion with the Irishman and put it to him that he was capable of achieving an awful lot more; told him that he should be in Europe's Ryder Cup team. It acted as a catalyst that reaped dividends in the German Masters on Sunday with his second Tour win, ironically coming on the same weekend of the year as his previous win in the Belgian Open in 1993.

The Volvo Masters in Valderrama on October 24th-27th will conclude the European Tour's season, but Clarke won't be putting away his clubs the 28 year old Dungannon man will compete in the Kapalua International in Hawaii, play in the Australian PGA and then team up with Harrington for the World Cup in South Africa.

The immediate priority, however, is this week's Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews where Ireland's three inform players - Clarke, Harrington and McGinley comprise the team. Unfortunately, any prize money garnered there will not count towards the Order of Merit.

Ireland are among 16 countries who have qualified for the Dunhill Cup, with the countries divided into four groups of four who will play a round robin series of matches on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The groups will be decided, by lot, tomorrow, although the top eight countries will be seeded according to players' positions in the latest world rankings. The countries competing are: Ireland, Australia, Canada, England, USA, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Wales, Zimbabwe.

While Harrington is representing his country in the Dunhill Cup, his main rival for the Rookie of the Year award will be playing in the Oki Pro Am at La Moraleja. Denmark's Thomas Bjorn is currently in 13th place in the Order of Merit - £489 behind Harrington - and will likely move ahead of the Dubliner this week.

However, the Sir Henry Cotton award, presented to the Rookie of the Year, is not based entirely on the Order of Merit. Unlike the Harry Vardon trophy, which is won automatically by the top money earner (which, for the fourth consecutive year, will be Montgomerie), the rookie award will be selected by the European Tour, the Royal and Ancient, and the Association of Golf Writers.

Raynond Burns yesterday withdrew from the field for the Oki ProAm, which has a prize fund of £450,000, reducing the Irish contingent in Spain to just four: Des Smyth, David Higgins. Francis Howley and John McHenry.