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Claret Jug in hand, Clarke turns focus to achieving two Ryder Cup goals

By PA Sport
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Claret Jug in hand, Clarke turns focus to achieving two Ryder Cup goals

Darren Clarke fulfilled one dream by winning the British Open, but he has two more -- returning to the European Ryder Cup team in 2012 and then becoming captain at some point.

"It is definitely still an ambition," said Clarke, who was one of Colin Montgomerie's vice-captains in Wales last October. "And if I get the opportunity to be Ryder Cup captain, possibly I may have a little bit more respect from players having been a major champion.

"When I'm possibly going to be captain, I don't know," he added. "It may or may not put my aspirations back a couple of years from when I thought I may have been."

Jose Maria Olazabal will lead the team in Chicago in September, and Ireland's Paul McGinley, at 44 two years older than Clarke, is favorite for Gleneagles in 2014.

Clarke's popularity in America would make him a logical candidate for Hazeltine in Minnesota in 2016, when he would be 48.

Clarke's last playing involvement was five years ago, when he had a stunning three wins out of three in Europe's victory a mere six weeks after his wife Heather lost her breast cancer fight.

His triumph at Sandwich doesn't help him in terms of gathering points for the 2012 team, though. The qualifying race didn‘t start until September.

"In saying that, I am a major champion," he added. "Jose Maria will be paying attention, as he always does, so we'll see where that brings me."