Darren Clarke was saluted here yesterday as one of the best players in the world, capable of succeeding Colin Montgomerie as number one in Europe. But he was also warned that he couldn't hope to fully exploit his formidable talent unless he got himself into physical shape.

Butch Harmon, who has coached Tiger Woods since a 13-year-old and has been helping Clarke since the US Masters last year, was talking in the wake of a stunning triumph in the Andersen Consulting Matchplay Championship here at La Costa. "Darren did to Tiger Woods what Tiger's been doing to other people," he said.

Some of the more corpulent US scribes delighted in the self-deprecating attitude of the Tyroneman to his 18 st 7 lbs frame. But after supplying them with more than enough one-liners for some tasty morning pieces, Clarke eventually acknowledged that his weight is a problem.

Yet he didn't approach the issue with any relish. "Yes, I think I have to get in better shape," he acknowledged. "I've been lax over the winter and I'm going to get myself onto a programme and in good shape." Then he added: "I was actually surprised as how strong I felt during the second 18 holes against Tiger."

Those close to Clarke feel that his first move should be to seek a more demanding dietician than a man with the sobriquet of "Chubby", which is how his manager Andrew Chandler is known to his friends. But from a business standpoint, there is no doubting the enormous investment in time and emotional support which Chandler has made to Clarke's career.

Before he and Clarke left here on Sunday night for London, an understandably delighted Chandler said: "It is only now that I can look you in the eye and say with absolute honesty that Darren is not an under-achiever. There is an inner calm about him that hasn't been there before. It's a wonderful transformation."

Clarke's next assignment is the Desert Classic in Dubai later this week. And though he doesn't relish the idea, he will be defending his matchplay title in Australia, on January 3rd to 7th next year. The event, which was so arranged for the benefit of the USPGA Tour, will actually suit him, now that he has qualified for the 2001 Mercedes Championships at Kapalua, Hawaii. But he will not be playing in the inaugural WGC World Cup in Buenos Aires in early December, which has become a pairs event. So, the way will be open for another challenge from Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, the 1997 winners of the old-style tournament.

In the context of WGC events, it is interesting to note that before this week, Clarke's total haul from last year's three tournaments was $108,750 (tied 33rd, tied 36th and tied 40th), compared with Woods's return of $2.15 million (tied fifth, first, first).

All of which had a rather interesting impact on their respective rewards for last week. Starting last Monday, Woods received a cheque for $200,000 as the top player in the so-called West Coast Swing, which ended with the Nissan Open at Riviera CC on February 20th.

Then there was a presentation of $250,000 on Tuesday at La Costa, for being the top money winner in the three WGC events of 1999. On top of those amounts, add the $500,000 which Woods received as runnerup on Sunday, and his takings for the week become $950,000 - only $50,000 short of million-dollar-man Clarke.

Returning to Clarke's physical condition, Harmon made the point that his very shape is putting a strain on certain key areas of his body. "Unless he changes, he's not going to achieve the longevity his talent deserves," he said. "That would be a great pity, because I've now seen a Darren that I hadn't seen before. He's capable of giving Monty a right run for his money."

Woods picked up on this point, saying: "Darren obviously has the ability to play great golf. It's just dependent on how dedicated he is to his work ethic. Butch has been trying to get him to work a little bit harder and when he does, it shows in his play."

Then, turning to his own game, Woods claimed he had not played as badly, with a chance to win, since shooting a 73 in the final round of the Disney Tournament last October, when he still managed to take the title. "I got stuck out there and I was trying to figure out what it was," he said. "I wanted to hit the right golf shot and put pressure on my opponent."

Without wishing to be unkind to the world's number one, he blinded himself to an inescapable fundamental of matchplay golf. Joe Carr claimed that in most matchplay situations, your opponent will play as well as you let him. And the truth about Sunday's match is that Clarke, through superb iron play and an irresistible putting touch, pressurised Woods at almost every hole.

This caused the American to question his own ability to stem the tide. And when there were no cracks appearing in Clarke's armoury as they entered the final nine holes, we saw Woods make the ruinous mistake of taking two out of a greenside bunker at the long 12th.

As he later admitted: "I was trying to put a soft little bunker shot in there and I didn't accelerate the blade property. I didn't release it the way I should have, and came up short." He could also have said that he didn't play the shot he wanted to because the pressure of the situation led to uncertainty.

The fact that Woods happens to be a great ball striker, probably the best since Ben Hogan, doesn't guarantee sound thinking under pressure.

In fact Clarke was playing well enough to give him an object lesson in matchplay skills, a lesson which, ironically, was facilitated by the world number one. "Tiger's length worked to my benefit, by giving me an opportunity of hitting into the par-fours first," he said. "When I got it in there close, the pressure went on Tiger."

In the absence of a major championship triumph since Fred Daly's British Open win in 1947, it is perhaps appropriate that an Irishman should have claimed golf's biggest matchplay prize. Because as our amateurs, men and women, have proved over the years, it is a form of golf we happen to play rather well.

World Rankings 1(1) T Woods (USA) 21.54 pts, 2(2) D Duval (USA) 12.36, 3(3) C Montgomerie (Sco) 9.85, 4(4) D Love III 9.06, 5(6) V Singh (Fij) 8.19, 6(5) E Els (RSA) 7.81, 7(7) L Westwood (Eng) 7.78, 8(9) J Parnevik (Swe) 7.35, 9(8) N Price (RSA) 7.08, 10(10) P Mickelson 6.73, 11(13) H Sutton (USA) 6.57, 12(11) J Furyk (USA) 6.47, 13(12) T Lehman (USA) 6.36, 14(19) D Clarke (Irl) 6.36, 15(14) S Garcia (Spa) 6.34, 16(15) M O'Meara (USA) 6.04, 17(16) J Leonard (USA) 5.54, 18(18) J Huston (USA) 5.23, 19(17) C Franco (Par) 5.19, 20(20) J Maggert (USA) 5.11.