European Tour Notebook: Clarke is Golfer of Month for British Open win

Darren Clarke has been named the European Tour's Golfer of the Month for July following his victory at the British Open.

Clarke won his first major at the age of 42 at Royal St. George's, triumphing by three shots over Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

"What a very nice way to end the best month of my career, " said Clarke, who returned to the world's top 50 by becoming the oldest winner of the Claret Jug since Roberto de Vicenzo in 1967. "It's always good to win a golfer of the month award, but this one is special because I won it on the back of winning the Open.

"Any award I get on the back of winning the Claret Jug will always be gratefully received."

It is the first time Clarke has won the European Tour's monthly prize since 2003.

FISHER FLIES OVER: Ross Fisher traveled to America for the PGA Championship on Saturday after receiving positive news about his three-month-old son, Harry. The boy’s illness kept the Ryder Cup player out of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio.

Fisher had his wife and two children with him during his recent of the Irish Open when the baby was taken to hospital last Saturday night.

He was kept in for most of the week while tests were done, but Fisher was then given the all-clear to head to the United States on Saturday and was planning a brief stopover at Lake Nona in Florida before moving on to the Atlanta Athletic Club, where the final major of the season starts on Thursday.

Fisher had planned to play the Bridgestone Invitational, but withdrew early in the week to stay in England.

TAKING A BREAK: Padraig Harrington has decided he needs a break from long-term coach Bob Torrance.

"We haven't split. We are having a break because I am getting very frustrated," said Harrington. "Until I am ready to listen to what he has to say, we are having a break."

Harrington hasn’t won a tour event in America or Europe since the last of his three majors came in the PGA Championship three years ago, although he won the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia late last season.

"He's like a son to me and I hope we can get back together," said the 79-year-old Torrance, one of the most respected coaches in golf. "We've been together for 15 years and I wasn't really expecting this, but I know he's been unhappy.

"His game is in a bad shape because of his mind -- I've said that to him -- but he's determined to make changes."

Under Torrance's guidance, Harrington, who turns 40 at the end of August, won two British Open titles and a PGA Championship.