THE shadow of bereavement could make the 2006 Ryder Cup one of the friendliest ever, according to Darren Clarke, whose wife Heather died last month after a four-year battle with cancer.
Clarke yesterday declared himself ready for the action that starts on Friday but he pointed out that on the US side with Tiger Woods having lost his father Earl this year and Chris DiMarco his mother Norma, there were obviously more important things in life than winning at golf.
"As friendly as we are, I'm sure we're going to try to beat each other as soon as we stand on the first tee, but at the end of the day it's not life and death, " he said.
The 38-year-old Ulsterman is a close friend of Woods, and he said they had already had a conversation about personal matters when the Ryder Cup had not been mentioned. Woods, meanwhile, has said he is looking forward to giving Clarke a hug.
"A lot of people understand the position I'm in, " added Clarke. "I've had a very emotional time of late, but as soon as the bell goes I'm there to play golf and I'm going to try to play the best I can."
Clarke, who was awarded a wildcard selection by captain Ian Woosnam, disappeared from competitive golf after the Open at Hoylake until last week, when he was 31st in the Madrid Open.
Former European captain Bernard Gallacher is among the critics who have described Woosnam's decision as a "huge gamble", but Clarke assured he had not made his decision to play lightly.
"I did think long and hard about whether I should be here this week and I came to the conclusion that I would benefit the team, " he said. "That's why I'm here. I want to play, I want to compete and I want to help my team-mates."
Clarke said his sons, Tyrone and Conor, might attend the opening ceremony on Thursday, but they would watch the action on television.
Tom Lehman, the US captain who was involved in the controversial end to the "Battle of Brookline" in 1999, assessed the mood in Ireland similarly.
"Whether or not we're playing the Ryder Cup, you see a man who's had a tragedy like he and his kids have had and you have an incredible amount of empathy. I think having him here will make this Ryder Cup that much better."
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