Golfers don't tend to live in the past, preferring to look to the future and whatever rewards they can get their hands on. And, yet, Darren Clarke couldn't resist dipping into past endeavours on his return to the K Club where he was once the touring professional and, more memorably, threatened to re-write the European Tour's record books.

That was in this tournament two year ago, on a Saturday afternoon, when he had a putt on the ninth green, his 18th, to break 60. In the end, as we know, Clarke missed that 25-footer for birdie that would have given him a 59 but, yesterday, on reflection he deemed it "the best round I have ever played . . . comfortably."

The impulse for such reflection was caused by a comment from his caddie, Billy Foster, during the pro-am yesterday.

"How the heck did you shoot 60 round here?" inquired his trusty bagman.

To which Clarke could think of no other answer than, "I don't know."

That round, coming on a course which has caused considerable anguish to mere mortals, was the source of wonderment to many observers - and, indeed, his golfing peers - and Clarke was asked yesterday if it could be repeated. "Anything is possible, but it is less likely. They have toughened up the course considerably with all the new trees," he said.

Clarke, though, comes into the tournament with a sense that something is going to happen, particularly after playing the best golf of anyone over the weekend in the Irish Open when he moved from the cut mark to finish in tied-second place.

"I would love to win this week, and hopefully I can give myself the opportunity. I have just got to keep doing what I have been doing. If I can stay positive and comfortable, then I will be looking for some good scores."