DARREN CLARKE hopes that a return to a former happy hunting ground in Germany this week will transform his fortunes on the greens in time for his second, US Open appearance in a fortnight's time.

Clarke was runner up to Bernhard Langer in the now defunct Honda Open at Gut Kaden in 1992. Today he starts the Deutsche Bank Open at the Hamburg club hoping that a tip from new coach Bill Ferguson to widen his putting stance, will do the trick.

"Putting has been my problem for the whole year," said Clarke, who has not finished in the top 20 since the opening two events of the season in Singapore and Perth. "If I start holing a few putts, my whole game will turn around."

Clarke failed to make the half way cut on his first US Open at Oak Hill, but has this grandly sub titled Tournament Players Championship of Europe and next week's English Open to get things right.

He has not made significant changes to his technique since having his first consultation with Colin Montgomerie's mentor during the recent Benson and Hedges event at the Oxfordshire club.

Montgomerie regards the US Open as his prime target of 1996, but like Clarke has been suffering on the greens this season. "I had a bad phase last year around the time of the Open where I missed the cut," he said, "and I am in another right now."

The European number one has arrived in Germany with a new Ping Pal 4 putter with added loft which he believes will be the pan-acea. "I have been changing putters too often and there are more than 50 at home," he added. "Hopefully I can stick to this one and take it to the USA next month."

Montgomerie revealed that he had used four different putters during last week's PGA championship and that he had done the same at the Players' Championship in Florida earlier this year "Putting has not got much to do with golf," he declared. "You can be a good putter and the worst golfer in the world. It's all upstairs in your head, and anyone can putt. It is half the shots in a round, but in my case it is more than half the shots, so I have to set into the right frame of mind."

Montgomerie is convinced, however, that the rest of his game is up to US Open requirements. ,"My big target is to win a Major and I love US Opens," he said. "They fall straight into my strength, which is putting the ball into the fairway." The Scot is also on the trail of a fourth successive European number one title but currently trails ranking leader Ian Woosnam by more than £107,000.

The Welshman is among his rivals for this week's £120,830 first prize, and if he gains his third victory of 1996, Paul McGinley will be surprised to learn he could be responsible.

Woosnam explained "I played with Paul during the Volvo PGA and I noticed how he kept his left elbow into his side when he followed through on his tee shot. I tried it and suddenly started to hit the ball really solidly again. One drive in yesterday's pro am was just like the old Ian Woosnam."

The former Masters champion is also struggling with the smallest club in the bag and so is Ireland's Ryder Cup player Philip Walton. He said "I played really solid golf at Wentworth, but I did not putt well, and I want to sort that out this week." Walton has this event and the English Open at the Forest of Arden (where he is the defending champion, having beaten

Montgomerie in a play off last year) to rectify matters.

I will have two days at home after here, he added, so I will probably go down to the beach at Malahide and have a session on the sand flats to try and get my touch back.

McGinley and Des Smyth are also in the line up as are Raymond Burns and Francis Howley. The latter has not played since the Spanish Open, won by the resting Padraig Harrington, but now gets the chance of an extended run during which he can also establish himself. Howley has gained places in the next six events and hopes to benefit from a swing adjustment advised by coach Arnold O'Connor. "I had got a bit flat during the last few weeks and he suggested I should try and get more upright," he said.

Bernhard Langer, who last week came to the end of a run of 68 events without missing the cut, is the defending champion, and will be seeking a 10th European victory on German soil. Seve Ballesteros continues his attempt to regain former glories, while Costantino Rocca, the newly, crowned PGA champion, has scorned the chance to rest on his laurels. New Zealanders Frank Nobilo and Michael Campbell, and Australian Robert Allenby with whom Walton plays for the first two rounds, head a strong Antipodean challenge.