Darren Clarke plans to resume the competition wave on the Champions Tour in August

Darren Clarke says postponing this year's Ryder Cup would be a “good decision” because the event “cannot be the same without fans”.

"A fanless Ryder Cup is not really a Ryder Cup," Clarke told BBC Sport NI.

"I think procrastination is probably the best way to make next year bigger and better than ever."

Recently, there has been increasing speculation that this year's event will be pushed back to next year, although there is no official announcement yet to be.

& # 39; Guys Enjoy Ryder Cup Atmosphere & # 39;

The 2011 Open Champion thinks a pos tponement is the best solution for the welfare of the competition, even though he believes an event behind closed doors in Whistling Straits could benefit the European side of Padraig Harrington.

"Playing it behind closed doors might be a small benefit to the European team because the Americans wouldn't have their home support, which counts a lot," added 51-year-old North -Ir ready. "

" But the boys enjoy the atmosphere. The whole atmosphere buzzes around the golf course and that is a hugely important part of the Ryder Cup. "

Clarke has been home alone most of the time at his vacation rental in the Bahamas since March 14 because his wife Alison was unable to be with him because of the worldwide pandemic.

His son Tyrone, whose school is in Florida, was able to contact him on the island of Abaco 10 days ago, but Alison and his other son Conor remain in Northern Ireland.

"Alison was with me the week before (March 14) when I was playing in California, but she had to go home to take care of her business and do some things.

"Then all borders were closed so quickly that I couldn't get Alison and Conor here."

Clarke's Champions Tour commitments in the US mean he will miss the Irish Open for the first time in his professional career

& # 39; I want to get back to work & # 39;

Dungannon's native hope to resume the game of golf when the Champions Tour for players age 50 and older resumes in mid-August in Ohio.

"I have to leave here on July 27 and go to America myself – isolate for a few weeks and then get ready for that."

] On the return of the PGA Tour, some players and caddies have had to withdraw from events after testing positive for coronavirus, but Clarke says he would like to "do my job again" despite natural concerns about the situation – especially in the VS.

"I'll try to do everything I can to follow all protocols to avoid catching the virus. We just have to be careful and just hope for the best."

Due to his commitments in the Champions Tour, Clarke will almost certainly miss the Irish Open for the first time in his professional career. autumn because of the difficulties in traveling back and forth between Europe and the US at the moment because of the pandemic.