Clarke makes Senior Open debut in July

Darren Clarke assured his best finish since joining the Champions Tour in the US and finishing second in the Cologuard Classic in Arizona in 1945.

Former Open champion Darren Clarke makes his Senior Open debut this year in Royal Lytham & St Anne & # 39; s in July

The Open Champion 2011 returns to the left where it finished third in the 2001 Open for the over 50s.

"I am looking forward to going back to Royal Lytham. It is a very fair course and I was close to it in 2001," Clarke said.

The 2019 Open at Royal Portrush takes place from 18-21 July with the Senior Open at Royal Lytham from 25-28 July. .

Clarke, who won his Open title at Royal St George & # 39; s, will try to join an elite group of golfers who have won both the Claret Jug and the Senior Open trophy in Bob Charles, Gary Player and Tom Watson

"I would like to give myself the chance to win the championship and follow in their footsteps," said Clarke of Northern Ireland.

The 50-year-old will be one of the hosts of former grand champions, Ryder Cup captains and European Tour winners in action at Royal Lytham.

He will join fellow former Ryder Cup captains Bernhard Langer, Paul McGinley Colin Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam in the field, as well as defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, who won in St. Andrews.