Those who would rail at the indulgent treatment associated with major sporting events these days should note that there are degrees of pampering. Like the fact that a certain scribe, who missed the shuttle bus from the media centre here at Lytham earlier this week, had a 22-minutewalk to the car-park.

Darren Clarke had no such problems. Mean-spirited wretch that I am, I paced the distance yesterday from his parked, dark-blue Bentley to the entrance of the clubhouse. Without any stretching of legs, the total was 75 paces.

Mind you, it could be argued that the Tyroneman's privileged position in the club car-park was no more than his due as a possible British Open champion. And the really interesting thing is that Clarke actually believes he is capable of claiming golf's grand prize at the 11th attempt.

On performances alone, Royal Lytham would have to rank as one of his favourite Open venues. After Royal Troon, where he was joint runner-up in 1997 and St Andrews, where he was tied seventh 12 months ago, it happens to be his third most productive course, as a share of 11th place in 1996 would indicate.

But when Tony Jacklin, the 1969 champion here, was asked if players such as Clarke, Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie had what it took to claim victory on Sunday evening, he responded: "Do they want it bad enough? Is it really necessary to their lives? No, I don't think so." Clarke's reaction was calm and measured. "I am not one to argue with someone who has won two majors," he said. "But I can assure you that out of 10, my desire to win is 15, or whatever figure you like." Then, with growing passion, the recently crowned Smurfit European Open champion went on: "I do want to win a major. And I want to win this one because it is the oldest. It has the most history. This is where the game began. This is the biggest, the oldest and the best."

Though he was born in Dungannon, some miles from the sea, a passion for links golf has burned within Clarke since the time, as an 11-year-old, he watched Seve Ballesteros play out of the car-park at Lytham on his way to victory in the 1979 Open. "I had just taken up the game at that stage," he said.

"I then had the good fortune to be able to play some of the world's best links courses in Ireland. And by playing these courses, I learned that the links game was much more imaginative. Not just a matter of hitting the ball up in the air and trying to land it beside the flag."

How did he feel about the Lytham challenge, with its 197 bunkers? "Some of the bunkers are very severe, and they come into play here a lot more than on other courses, including St Andrews," he replied. By way of avoiding them off the tee, he went on to explain how in practice, he had used everything from a driver to a six iron on the driving holes. Interestingly, the choices for Ballesteros ranged up to a four iron en route to victory here in 1988.

Did the course need defending, especially against modern equipment? "At the moment, the rough is so severe that it offers defence enough," he argued. "The rough is brutal, but my game is good. I would rate it about eight out of 10 at the moment."

Having made his international debut at Lahinch, won the Irish Close title at Baltray and now playing most of his social golf at Royal Portrush, there is no doubting Clarke's affinity with links terrain. And if this isn't enough, he can look to the only other professional to have been made an honorary life member of Portrush. That just happened to be Fred Daly, the British Open champion of 1947.