It was good news week and for nobody more than Darren Clarke, who looks to be catching Ryder Cup fever at exactly the right time. Captain Nick Faldo must have been impressed by the manner of Darren’s win in Holland – a commanding four-shot success which left his friend Paul McGinley, another European team hero, in a highly encouraging second.

I know just how hard Darren has been trying to improve his standing in the game and Sunday’s success hauled him to 56th in the world rankings as well as to 15th on the European Tour. He’s on the way up again… and fast so hopefully we’ll get the chance to see him in tandem again with Lee Westwood in Valhalla. It was also very pleasing to see Paul have such a good finish.

ISM players filled three of the top sixth berths with Ross McGowan once again highlighting his enormous potential. Simon Dyson must have been encouraged by his 12th place and David Howell is definitely showing signs of recapturing his old form again, a closing 66 highlighting the improvement of late.

We almost had a win double, but Branden Grace narrowly missed out in a Challenge Tour play-off after a sensational last round of 64 took him to the top of the leaderboard. On the cricket scene, how good was Freddie Flintoff’s knock against South Africa and I’m sure he and captain Kevin Pietersen will look forward to spending plenty more time together in the middle.

ClubIsm had it's first winner in more than a year of trying when Urban Tiger came in at 13/2 at Huntingdon. Unfortunately such was our faith that no bets were placed!!!