Q. Have you changed your fitness regime?
DARREN CLARKE: Yes.
Q. This is a change; you have always stood out against it.
DARREN CLARKE: I haven't said it was wrong for other people to do it. I just didn't feel it was the right thing for me to do. But with me trying to identify reasons why I have not been playing as well as I should be, it's pretty logical to take a look at the one area I haven't addressed. That would be very remiss of me if I didn't address it.
Q. What exactly have you changed?
DARREN CLARKE: I have a trainer that I'm working with, a guy called Barry Grinham who works with the Formula I guys and a few of the other Formula I drivers. He's put me on a much higher carbohydrate diet to keep my energy level up and he's going to start putting me through my paces next week.
Q. What have you been and what are you now (weight)?
DARREN CLARKE: No answer and no answer. (Laughter.) You just threw that one in.
Q. You said you're taking in carbohydrates; what were you eating today?
DARREN CLARKE: I had Power Bars, I had raisins, all of the energy sort of food that I should be eating.
Q. I'm sure I saw you eat a Jelly Baby.
DARREN CLARKE: It was not a Jelly Baby. It looked like one. He told me to eat it. It's not my fault he tells me to eat these things. It just found its way into the bag.
Q. Cigar still?
DARREN CLARKE: They are in the bag, currently.
Q. What's he trying to get, a leaner and fitter Darren Clarke or a more productive ?
DARREN CLARKE: I've asked him to try and help me become fitter, and I think if I can become a little bit fitter, then hopefully I will see better results on the golf course.
Q. Have you tried that?
DARREN CLARKE: I've had one or two but I think as you will agree with the other changes that I had addressed over the winter, I'm a bit more serious about what I'm doing than for quite some time. This is again another part of it. So my commitment is much stronger than it was before.
Q. Has he warned you what you're in for on the physical side?
DARREN CLARKE: Yes, we have spoken about it. I think he's taken it on as a bit of a challenge, as well.
Q. How many Jelly Babies does he give you?
DARREN CLARKE: Do you want some? You look as if you could do with some, as well. (Laughter.)
It was not a Jelly Baby. It was something else. But I had two today, thank you very much.
Q. You also look as though you are enjoying it more as well?
DARREN CLARKE: Well, again that was another one of the changes I made at the start of the year where I'm starting to work with Bob Rotella. That again is helping me on the golf course and off the golf course, as well.
Q. The guy you were working with last year when you won the English Open?
DARREN CLARKE: John Gibbs.
Q. Do you work with him anymore?
DARREN CLARKE: No. Just Bob Rotella.
Q. Was there any single thing during the course of the winter that made you decide on all of these courses of action?
DARREN CLARKE: Not playing well enough to how I felt and how I feel like I'm playing. I wasn't doing that.
Q. Not fulfilling --
DARREN CLARKE: Not fulfilling what I felt I could do. We had a long conversation at the end of last year and we decided on a course of action, which was tough for me to make the changes that I have to do. But it was a course of action which I chose I had to do to improve.
Q. Did you initiate that conversation to Chubby?
DARREN CLARKE: He had seen that coming for a long time and knew it was coming. He knows me pretty well. When things aren't happening, it's time to re-address things and move forward. I had become steal and nothing's happening.
Q. Do majors figure?
DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, everything goes, just playing better. This season, I'm very happy with the way things have progressed. I haven't won yet this season but in America, I feel I've played pretty well. I've given myself a lot of chances. I've had a pretty cold putter now for about a year and a half probably and I'm trying to weather the storm and wait for a few to go in at the right time. Hopefully I will see the results. I think I will.
Q. How tired did you feel at Augusta?
DARREN CLARKE: Pretty tired. Not if I was going to collapse, because physically I am pretty strong anyway. But the mental mistakes, that's what happens. It's no good for me doing everything else right and not doing the one thing that's going to make all the difference.
Q. So you are not far enough into your fitness regime to have that take any effect?
DARREN CLARKE: No, I addressed that after Augusta. I didn't do anything last year.
Q. Would you run through your birdies, please.
DARREN CLARKE: On 9, I had a low driver and I punched a 6-iron to about eight feet, holed it for birdie.
No. 11, I hit driver, sand iron to about three feet and holed it for birdie.
The next hole I hit driver, 5-wood off the green, 35 feet, two putts.
17, I hit 3-wood off the tee, soft 5-wood to the back of the green to about 18 feet and then the last, I hit a good 3-wood and then an easy 3-wood off the green to about 40 feet and 3-putts.
Q. Did anyone tell you it's time to get your act together?
DARREN CLARKE: Probably Chubby and Heather at home. Just the people close to me. Just chipping it way. Pretty thick to get through to.
Q. Have you taken that gym you've rarely used --
DARREN CLARKE: How do you know I rarely use that gym? Have I got a new gym? I am in the process of getting that organised, yes. In the meantime, I continue to use Paul's.
Q. Is there a punching bag involved?
DARREN CLARKE: No. No.
RODDY WILLIAMS: Darren, thank you very much. Thanks for your time.
End of FastScripts....
