Tour News Round-UpIf the pessimist would always see the glass as half-empty, Darren Clarke - despite slipping to a career-low 247th in the latest official world rankings - is rather inclined to view the glass as half-full as he embarks on a year-ending trip to South Africa that takes in two tournaments, starting with this week's Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, that he hopes will give him something to build on heading into the new year.
Clarke, who was yesterday also confirmed with current 2008 Order of Merit leader Lee Westwood for the Royal Trophy match in Thailand in January, a match that pits Europe against Asia in a team matchplay format, has included the Alfred Dunhill and next week's South African Open on his schedule as the 39-year-old aims to rebound from a season that saw him finish 138th on the money list.
However, Clarke retains full tour status for the new season based on his career money earnings where he is fifth in the all-time list.
"If the maxim 'practice makes perfect' has any truth, I should be in particularly good shape (for South Africa)," said Clarke, who, in recent weeks, has practiced every day, either with putting guru Paul Hurrion or swing coach Ewan Murray, in an attempt to rediscover the form that once had him entrenched as a top-10 player in the world rankings.
The Ulsterman has also worked extensively on the mental side of the game with Dr Karl Morris.
Clarke added: "I've been back in the gym too on a regular basis and, to be honest, I don't think I have worked any harder on my game than I am now at any stage throughout my career. It will be nice to finish the season with something positive to reflect on and to look forward to."
Aside from the amount of work he has put in on the range and in the gym, Clarke has also looked towards improved technology as he seeks to find his game again after a 2007 season that saw him miss the cut nine times in 19 tournaments on the European Tour.
He plans on using the new TaylorMade ball in the two tournaments in South Africa, while he has also been "tinkering" with his irons in a bid to get more spin control as he bids to end the year on a high.
Clarke is one of three Irish players competing in this week's tournament at Leopard Creek, along with Dubliners Peter Lawrie and Stephen Browne.
Lawrie is making his first appearance of what is now the 2008 season in the Alfred Dunhill. His last outing on tour came in the Mallorca Classic where he finished fifth, but still failed to make the season-ending Volvo Masters.
Lawrie eventually finished 66th on the money list. However, like Clarke, he plans a two-tournament assault in a bid to kickstart his new campaign on tour in what will be his sixth successive year with a full card. Browne, meanwhile, gets into the field based on his Challenge Tour finishing position of last season.
Rory McIlroy, incidentally, returns to tournament play in next week's South African Open at Pearl Valley in the Western Cape (when Clarke and Lawrie also play), but Browne and Colm Moriarty are currently on the reserve list.
Ernie Els, the world number five, heads into this week's tournament seeking to claim a personal record and to enter an elite circle of players who have won a regular tour event on four occasions: since 1972, outside the majors and World Golf Championships, only three golfers have won a single European Tour Order of Merit event on four or more occasions - Bernhard Langer, who won five German Opens and four German Masters; Nick Faldo who won four PGA Championships at Wentworth, and Seve Ballesteros who captured the French Open on four occasions.
Although he failed to win the Nedbank Challenge on Sunday, losing out to Trevor Immelman in a play-off, Justin Rose has leapfrogged Pádraig Harrington in the official world rankings. Rose moves from eighth to seventh, with Harrington going from seventh to eighth.
