DARREN CLARKE yesterday revealed the secret of his best European Tour performance for almost three months he has acquired his third coach of the 1996 season. The Ulsterman, who parted company with longtime adviser Bob Torrance at the start of the year and put his faith in Colin Montgomerie's coach Bill Ferguson, is now consulting another Yorkshireman Peter Cowen.
Clarke puts his much improved performance in last week's European Masters in Switzerland (where he was joint seventh), down to his decision to seek help from Cowen after his failure to qualify for the final two rounds of the British Masters at Collingtree. "It has made all the difference and I am delighted with my improvement," he said yesterday. Clarke was speaking on the eve of the Lancome Trophy at St Nom la Breteche, just outside Paris, where Nick Faldo makes his first European appearance since the British Open at Royal Lytham.
"The things I was trying to do with Fergie were not working," added Clarke, "and I had developed a hook which was causing me to play very poorly. Peter has changed a few things at impact, and they have produced results straight away. My golf at Crans sur Sierre was the best I have splayed for a long time."
Cowen, who is based at the Lindrick club, scene of the 1957 Ryder Cup victory, is a former Tour player who has been gaining an impressive reputation as a coach to the new generation. Former British youths champion Lee Westwood paid tribute to his teaching after he won the Scandinavian Masters in Gothenburg, saying: "He has made me a much more aggressive and confident player."
As Westwood has won more than £315,000 this season and currently fills fourth place in the ranking list behind Montgomerie, Clarke believes he could be taking a short cut to similar success. West wood and Clarke are fellow members of Andrew Chandler's stable of outstanding young players.
Clarke's haul of 1913 Ryder Cup qualifying points in Switzerland put him in 14th place after the second event of the new campaign, but despite his new found optimism, be could find it a difficult task to make a significant increase to his total in the French capital.
Masters champion Faldo, who has indicated to Cup captain Seve Ballesteros that he will make a major effort to become an automatic qualifier, has his sights on the first prize of £108,330, while Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam are extremely strong contenders with seven victories between them so far this summer.
Montgomerie aims to bring his irresistible form at the European Masters in Switzerland down to ground level and make a successful title defence. The last time he achieved back to back victories was in the English and German Opens two years ago.
Woosnam, now £60,000 behind the Scot in the rankings, still believes he can prevent Montgomerie becoming European number one for a fourth successive year, despite again being troubled by a stiff neck. Faldo has answered the call from Ballesteros to try and avoid needing a wild card for a fourth time, by pledging himself to at least six qualifying events, probably eight, and possibly 10, before the European team to play the US at Valderrama in 12 months time is finalised.
"It is a very simple scenario," Faldo said yesterday. "If I plan well here and in the Loch Lomond International in Scotland next week, and the four majors of 1997, I will be OK. I am also considering playing twice in my preparation for the Open at Troon."
That could mean an appearance by Faldo at next year's Irish Open in which he completed a hat trick of victories in 1991-92-93. He also pledged to return to Europe immediately after the USPGA Championship next August which would give him the opportunity of playing the last two Ryder Cup qualifying events before the team of 10 automatic select ions and two captain's choices is finalised.
In the meantime it is eve man for himself in the great Ryder chase, and Philip Walton, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley will all be looking to improve their positions on a St Nom course that has been lengthened and toughened in the 12 months since Frenchman Jean Louis Guepy shot a record equal elected to the board of directors of the European Tour, Raymond Burns Des Smyth, and David Higgins are also in the elite field of 123. Former Ryder Cup player Chip Beck provides the traditional American challenge.
