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| |  Wednesday, 4 April, 2001, 09:22 GMT 10:22 UK Clarke plays game of patience Darren Clarke knows patience is the key at Augusta Darren Clarke turned on the television the other day and saw a picture of himself playing in the 1998 Masters. He was just off the right of the green at the par-five 15th - and the flag was way over on the left, roughly 40 yards away. When he set it off the Ulsterman knew instantly it was going too hard. It was going so hard, in fact, that he feared it might go in the lake the other side. Only one thing could stop it. That was the hole - and it did. Thirty minutes after having an eagle on the 13th Clarke had another. Two pairs of crystal goblets are the 32-year-old's permanent reminder of that memorable day and a 67 which proved to him he could conquer Augusta National.
It was in the third round, and the following day he closed with a 69. Only winner Mark O'Meara and Jim Furyk scored better over the finishing 36 holes - but because Clarke had opened 76-73 he had to be content with tied eighth place. With his runners-up spot at the 1997 Open and finishes of seventh and ninth in the last two majors last season, Clarke goes into the Masters on Thursday with high hopes. And that is despite some fluctuating form so far this season. "I think my game is very solid at the moment and I'd like to see if I could give myself a chance come Sunday," said the world number nine. Clarke tees off with Ryder Cup team-mate Miguel Angel Jimenez and former winner Craig Stadler in the first two rounds.
The best piece of advice Clarke reckons he has ever received about Augusta National is to be patient. Well-known sports psychologist Bob Rotella has been called in to help him in that department. "He is trying to get my head sorted out, which is no mean feat. I am trying not to let things bother me as much." Clarke's two-year-old son Tyrone and his six-month-old baby brother Conor are helping in the process too. He said: "I get pretty hard on myself, and it's good to go back and see the kids and mess about. It just takes my mind off it a bit. Few strokes "Whenever things are not going that well I tend to get very much into my technique. "I try to figure out my swing and then forget what I'm actually supposed to do. "I try to hit every shot perfectly, and that doesn't work. "Bob reminds me that the idea is just to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible, however you do it." | |
See also:  03 Apr 01 | US Masters 05 Feb 01 | N Ireland 04 Feb 01 | N Ireland Top US Masters stories now: Links to more US Masters stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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