Just short of his best
Last updated: 11th March 2008
Reading the green: Clarke has struggled with his putting
If Darren Clarke putts average this season I promise you he will win four or five times this season, that's how well he is playing.
Tony Johnstone on Golf Night
Quotes of the week
Short game master Tony Johnstone told Golf Night that if Darren Clarke improves his putting he will win tournaments.
Clarke looked back to his old self at last week's Malaysian Open, and although finishing tied for 10th place is not exactly anything to shout about, Johnstone told Golf Night (see video, right), that Clarke is hitting the ball beautifully - not on the green though!
Johnstone knows a thing or two about putting having topped the European Tour's short game statistics in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and he believes that Clarke will start to win tournaments this season if his putting improves.
He told Golf Night: "His striking is almost un-paralleled.
"When Darren is on song the ball comes off with a different sound and Darren just stands there with long irons and he just rips the flags out on the practice range.
"He finished third and fourth and without being unfair he was putting like a wounded donkey, he really was. It was horrific to watch him with the putter.
"But he is just brilliant tee to green."
Putting
"We've been saying for the last couple of months that the minute Darren starts putting half decently - if he putts average this season I promise you he will win four or five times this season, that's how well he is playing."
Simon Holmes, who has coached Clarke in the past, believes that the Northern Irishman's main problem is that he often beats himself out on the course.
"Mentally that has always been his challenge," said Holmes, "He is so aware of the talent that he's got and everyone tell him of the talent that he's got.
"I think he's always frustrated with his results. On weeks where I have coached him he is one shot away from being disappointed.
"A lot of players you see hit five or six shots, hit a bad shot and can still keep going. He is so disturbed by that one error and it really affects him.
"I think that's always going to be the thing that he has to handle."
- Video
