Darren Clarke has withdrawn from next week's United States PGA championship, the last major of the season, and now seems likelier than ever to miss next month's Ryder Cup as well.

The 37-year-old said before missing the halfway cut at the Open last month that that would be his last appearance "for the foreseeable future" because of his wife Heather's long fight with cancer.

His name appeared on the list of entries for the US PGA when it was issued at the start of the week, but his management company International Sports Management confirmed today that he has pulled out of the event.

Things are being reviewed week-by-week, but with Clarke only 30th in the current Ryder Cup standings captain Ian Woosnam must know he is almost certainly going to be without the Irishman at the K Club in six weeks' time.

"I will speak to Darren, but I think he pretty much said at the Open what he was doing," said Woosnam on Wednesday. "If his situation is the same then obviously he is not going to play."

Clarke has been a member of three winning sides — at Valderrama in 1997 on his debut, The Belfry in 2002 and then Detroit two years ago, when he scored 3 ½ points out of a possible five.

Colin Montgomerie commented a month ago: "A European team without Darren Clarke is a weaker team."

Clarke, who missed last year's US Open because of his wife's health, began the Open with a 69, but then crashed out of the event with a second round 82.