For someone ranked number 11 in the world rankings, and who has won tournaments around the world, Darren Clarke is still learning there are fresh golfing pastures to discover.

This week, starting on Thursday, the 35-year-old Tyrone golfer fulfils one of his remaining ambitions when he makes his debut in the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii, the first event of a year which will see him play up to 16 times in the United States.

"After this, there's only one tournament that I haven't played in that I really want to, and that's the Grand Slam of Golf," said Clarke. Of course, to do that, he'll have to win a major (and so achieve every professional golfer's goal) but, until such time arrives, this appearance in Kapalua is further evidence of Clarke's upwards graph since undertaking so many changes to his swing, diet and physical regime over the past year.

Clarke is the only European player in the field for the Mercedes, a $5.3 million tournament that traditionally opens the US Tour season and which is limited to the winners of the previous season. Chad Campbell's win in the season-ending Tour Championship brought the number of qualifiers to 31 players (competing for the top prize of $1.06 million, a Mercedes Benz SL500 and the Tiffany Trophy). The actual field, though, is 30 after David Toms decided not to play.

Last year, Ernie Els - with the expected trade winds failing to materialise - shot a tour record 31-under-par for the 72-holes to defeat a field of 36 professionals (but excluding Tiger Woods, who was recovering from knee surgery) that included 18 first-time winners. But in 2003, there were only seven first-timers on the US Tour and, moreover, eight players were responsible for 23 victories.

Woods, of course, is back this week for an event that gives the tour's elite players a chance to get a head start in the money list on other players. Woods is excited to make his return.

"It was tough watching it on television," said Woods, who turned 28 last week. "Ernie (Els) played great golf, but I really wanted to be there."

A two-time winner of the Mercedes - in 1997 at La Costa and at Kapalua in 2000 when he out-duelled Els in a dramatic sudden death play-off after both players eagled the final hole and Woods finally prevailed on the second extra hole with a long birdie putt - the world's number one has spent the last two weeks getting ready for the tournament.

"Last year at this time, I wasn't sure when I would be able to compete again," he said. "This year, my knee is sound and I'm ready to go."

And, for Clarke, it is an event that sees him break new ground by becoming the first Irish player to compete in the tournament . . . however, he also plans to play in the following week's Sony Open (which Els will also be defending). Clarke's place in the Mercedes is due to his win in the NEC Invitational in Akron last August, which gave him a three-year exemption on the US Tour.

Although he intends to play more frequently in the US throughout the season, there is no question of Clarke turning his back on the European Tour which will be his home for much of the summer months. Just as Els has successfully juggled playing both tours, Clarke believes his game is well suited to the US Tour and that his improved fitness levels should enable him to contend more often than not. It is also his expectation that playing the early months on the US Tour should help in his bid to take the US Masters at Augusta National, a major he led after the first round last year.

So, while Europe's other top players take a break from competitive action, Clarke is first to go into the fray - and, more than most, he'll be hoping the strong trade winds that stayed away last year reappear this time round.

THE FULL FIELD IS (US unless stated): Stuart Appleby (Aus), Tommy Armour III, Chad Campbell, Darren Clarke (NIre), Fred Couples, Ben Crane, Ben Curtis, Ernie Els (SA), Steve Flesch, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen (SA), Scott Hoch, John Huston, Peter Jacobsen, Jonathan Kaye, Justin Leonard, JL Lewis, Frank Lickliter II, Davis Love III, Shigeki Maruyama (Jap), Shaun Micheel, Kenny Perry, Rory Sabbatini (SA), Adam Scott (Aus), Vijay Singh (Fiji), Craig Stadler, Kirk Triplett, Bob Tway, Mike Weir (Can), Tiger Woods.