Get down to the bookies! Cigar-chomping Ulsterman Darren Clarke is set to produce the goods and win the Order of Merit in 2002.

That's the view of Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler, the Dungannon golfer's manager and friend.

Chandler feels that Clarke now has he self-belief to finally claim the European crown and establish himself as a serious rival to Tiger Woods.

Clarke finished third in the Open at Lytham and in the Order of Merit but although he slipped out of the World's Top 10 on Monday as Padraig Harrington leapfrogged above him, Chandler feels the best is yet to come.

He said: "Any year that a player can place three wins alongside his name is never a bad one, but more important in this respect is that Darren achieved two of them in continents where he had never previously been successful. His wins in South Africa and Japan helped establish him as a global figure.

"But he is also beginning to believe it himself and, believe me, that is a breakthrough. I have lost count of the number of times I have had to point out the world rankings to him, but this year came a growing feeling of comfort with his standing in the game.

"Just as character forming as his two victories was one that got away, but to have a chance of winning the British Open with just nine holes to play was no mean achievement.

"Discerning followers of form may well have come to the same conclusion as me about next year's European Tour money list," said Chandler.

"The wise money could well be placed on Darren Christopher Clarke. After finishing second, second and third in three of the last four seasons, the time may be fast approaching when the big man proves that he is the king of this side of the Atlantic."

In the past six seasons on the European Tour, Clarke has finished eighth, fourth, second, eighth second and third in the Order of Merit.

Last season, stable-mate Westwood pipped him for the title. Clarke had led the Volvo Order of Merit race going into the final week at Valderrama but his position of tied 17th in the WGC-American Express Championship wasn't enough to prevent Lee Westwood claiming the title of Europe's Number One.

And this season he needed a miracle to catch US Open champ Retief Goosen at the top of the money list. Goosen's Major win and subsequent Scottish Open romp at Loch Lomond left the Ulsterman with too much to do, despite a winning the European Open and finishing in the Top 10 seven times.

With the money title mathematically beyond his reach, Clarke eventually lost the number two spot when Padraig Harrington's late birdie barrage gave him an amazing win in the Volvo Masters Andalucia last month.

But despite his disappointments in Europe, Clarke has enjoyed considerable success this season winning over IR£1.5 million on the European Tour alone.

That brings his career earningss in Europe to over IR£7.25 million since he turned professional in 1990. Clarke won in South Africa for the first time at the start of the year, capturing the Dimension Data Pro-Am and then added the Chunichi Crowns tournament to his CV in Japan.

More success was to follow in July when he won the Smurfit European Open at The K Club in July ­ the first Irishman to win in Ireland since John O'Leary's Irish Open win of 1982.

But while the Order of Merit title has not been Clarke's objective in the past, that may all be about to change this term.

Added Chandler: "The Majors will always assume ultimate importance, but I just get the feeling Clarkey would not mind No.1 next to his name in European terms given that a certain Mr Woods has got the global market sewn up for the time being.

"Darren is a very hard taskmaster with himself and will no doubt be looking back on 2001 as a year when he could have achieved a lot more.

"That would be being too hard because I believe there were significant breakthroughs made through the season and ones that may bode well for his future." Clarke started brilliantly in the Masters and was close to the lead near the end of the third round but double bogeyed two of the last three holes to drop out of contention.

He eventually finished 24th at Augusta and 30th behind Goosen in the US Open before challenging strongly for the Open Championship at Royal Lytham. Clarke was just one behind going into the final round but finished in a six was tie for third as David Duval took his first Major with a flawless 67 to Clarke's 70.

On the Open Chandler said: "Darren enjoyed the experience even though it was not a new one in the world of golf's premier event. He was calmer than I have ever known him before, took in the atmosphere of the occasion and definitely took a great deal of satisfaction from having a British crowd behind him. He will be able to draw on the experience when the next time comes around and it definitely will at The Open."

Clarke is also physically fitter, thanks to the efforts of ex-Miss World bodyguard and body builder John Newton, who has been pointing Darren in all the right directions.

Belgian mental coach or sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout has also helped Clarke to cope better when things have not been going well. With eight tour wins since 1993, including the 4 and 3 thrashing of Tiger Woods in the WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play championship in February last year, Clarke is knocking on the door of a Major triumph.

Could 2002 be the year of the Big D? Chandler certainly thinks so.

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© Brian Keogh 2001

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