A few years ago, at Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps, in the run-up to the Ryder Cup at Valderrama, Colin Montgomerie took Darren Clarke aside for some words of advice. There was nothing conceited in the Scot's gesture, just a genuine concern that Clarke was failing to deliver on his immense natural ability.
Clarke's self-belief has grown in the meantime, and his performance in La Costa has confirmed that. So, it's a touch ironic that Clarke's financial windfall from the WGC-Andersen Consulting matchplay should propel him to the top of the European Tour money list and mark him out as arguably the prime threat to Montgomerie's dominance.
And Montgomerie, winner of the European Tour Order of Merit for the past seven years, is more aware than anyone that his reign can't go on forever. However, Monty aims to make some inroads into Clarke's lead at the top of the money list in the £850,000 Dubai Desert Classic at the Dubai Creek course, starting on Thursday.
"It looks like I will have to get going," conceded Montgomerie, "but a win in Dubai would get me right back into the hunt for another money title though. The Order of Merit is important to me but, this year, I really want to play well in the majors and possibly win one or two. I'm getting a bit tired of this label, `the best player never to win a major'. I think the year 2000 is the time to put an end to that."
Clarke is one of six Irishmen in the Dubai field: he will be joined by Paul McGinley, Eamonn Darcy, Gary Murphy, Ronan Rafferty and Des Smyth. Rafferty, who missed the cut at the Portuguese Open on his return to the circuit after an absence of nearly two years due to an injured thumb, has decided to play three straight tournaments - Dubai, Qatar and Madeira Island - in an attempt to gain some competitive sharpness.
Elsewhere, Keith Nolan is scheduled to resume his schedule in the Doral Ryder Open in Miami while two other Irish professionals will also be competing in that part of the United States. Richard Coughlan, the former Walker Cup player, and Donegalman Conor Mallon are both competing in the Silver Springs Shore Classic at Ocala.
