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SMURFIT EUROPEAN OPEN


June 30, 2005


Darren Clarke


STRAFFAN, IRELAND

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, a lot more trees and thicker rough. Anything under par today is a good score.

Q. Can you give us an update on Heather?

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, she's doing better and she's had a very tough time of it. She's at home now and turning the corner and getting better.

Q. Are you able to concentrate?

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, she wanted me to come back playing again, so I'm here trying to do as well as I can.

Q. Your short game looks particularly sharp.

DARREN CLARKE: I haven't had much time to do anything but whenever I did, I spent a little time on that. Today I didn't hit the ball as well as I would have liked to have done. My short game was good and the up and downs are almost as good making a putt for birdie.

Q. How pleased were you with the opening effort?

DARREN CLARKE: Pretty pleased. Didn't really play the way I wanted to but the short game was good. I'm pleased with 3 under to start the tournament.

Q. You came in with no expectations as you said, so were you pleasantly surprised?

DARREN CLARKE: I wouldn't say surprised but, you know, if I went out there and shot 75, 76 obviously I want to play as well as I could. I didn't play quite play that but I shot a decent score.

Q. What about the 17th, the par 3?

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, I made a poor swing today and unfortunately that was one. I wasn't aiming there and I just pushed it and spun it into the water. I made a good up and down, so I'm not going to get worried about one poor shot.

Q. Are your expectation going to go up a little after the start?

DARREN CLARKE: No, I'm going to spend probably the next hour or so with the physio on knee. Happened at Forest of Arden, I've been struggling with it since then. I got really bad on the back nine today.

Q. What did you do?

DARREN CLARKE: Just pushing too many weights in the gym. It's just a little bit sore. I made some poor swings today and got a away with a few. My short game was is very sharp. Every time I missed a green I got it up and down, and the course, as tough as it is, you're going to have to do that. Short game was sharp today.

Every time I come back here it's getting tougher and tougher. It is so hard and so penal now, you know some of the shots, with the greens, some of the backspins, shots that were difficult before are a lot more difficult now. I believe it's going to get very windy on the weekend, which is going to get even tougher again.

Q. You have a nice track record around here.

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, not too bad. Hopefully I can keep on.

Q. How was your concentration out there today?

DARREN CLARKE: Wasn't great but I got it around.

Q. Good to be out?

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, it was good to get out and play again. Some of my shots, I didn't get as annoyed as I probably would have, so my thoughts were wavering a little bit.

Q. When you go out on a course like this, having such good memories for you in the round, do you fell that you can perform after a layoff around here?

DARREN CLARKE: Probably. The course is in good condition as well. The greens are fantastic, so if your short game is there, you have the opportunity of getting it up and down. It's good to come back to the same course again. It does give you a bit of a boost before you start knowing that you have played well here. As I say, it's a much tougher test now.

Q. Would you like that wind that's coming around for the weekend?

DARREN CLARKE: I don't know. I'll let you know Sunday.

End of FastScripts.
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