Darren Clarke: Senior key next target for NI man who says he could compete in this year's Open Championship
Darren Clarke says he still can compete in the Open Championship
Darren Clarke is aiming for a senior major after his last Champions Tour victory and believes he could compete in the Open at Royal St George & # 39; s this year.
The Northern Irishman last won the Hawaii weekend after taking his first victory on the 50+ circuit in his previous tournament in November.
"Another notch from there are senior majors and the Senior Britons would be very special to me," said Clarke, 52.
The This year's Senior Open will take place in Sunningdale, which Clarke knows well.
The week before, Clarke will compete in The Open on the Sandwich course where he memorably took his big title in 2011.
Of course Clarke's plans are all going according to Covid-19 and he is waiting to see if tournament golf can continue as it has largely happened since the first lockdown – with the notable exceptions of the Open Championship and Senior Open.
Clarke recalled that a 59-year-old Tom Watson probably should have won The Open in 2009 before being picked by Stewart Cink in a playoff
When asked if he could summon another Open challenge in Kent 10 years later, Clarke joked that he was "on the fence", but also spoke of the value of experience tackling the original event of golf on links turf.
"Tom Watson did it (competed strongly) a few years ago at Turnberry and if there is experience anywhere, left wave would be one of those scenarios, & # 39 County Tyrone's man told BBC Sport Northern Ire lands from his winter base in the Bahamas.
“I'm still swinging the club pretty quickly. I get a ball speed of 173 mph and a clubhead speed of 121/122 mph, which is very similar to what even the young guys do on the main tour, so I still hit it far enough.
"And if you get bad weather, you might see some of the older guys like Phil (Mickelson) and Ernie (Els) and maybe even myself, with a little experience, right in the middle of the mix.
"After that, it's a good bounce here and a good bounce there – we'll see."
As Clarke's retains the form he has produced over the past few months, he will certainly go to the Senior Open a week later as one of the favorites.
"It would be very special for me to turn that on top of The Open that I won at Royal St George & # 39; s and played a lot of golf at Sunningdale.
Clarke unclear about his next event
After firing a 64th final round to take a two-shot win at last weekend's Mitsubushi Electric Championship in Hawaii , Clarke is not yet clear when he will go for his third straight champion ns Tour victory.
The next Champions Tour event is in Arizona in a month, but Clarke says he that might be missing if US Covid-19 regulations mean he has to go into quarantine for two weeks prior to what would be a one-off tournament for him.
" If it was a case of playing one tournament and having to do a two week quarantine to get there, I'll probably miss it and maybe stay here for eight weeks and work on getting into the gym and getting stronger and da n going into quarantine for two weeks in April and then we are busy week after week.
The new Biden government in the US is expected to announce updated quarantine regulations next week and Clarke will listen carefully.
The Champion of 2011 Open attributes its resurgence to the video lessons he took with swing coach Shauheen Nakhjavani.
“I work as hard as ever. I am a bit obsessed with it and always want to get better.
"My wells were also very solid in Hawaii. Sometimes that can be a bit like me – somewhat temperamental.
" I got a very good putt on 17 to keep my lead on two shots last which always makes it a little easier. "
