PGA Championship invitation boosts Clarke's hopes of making Ryder team

Darren Clarke's hopes of playing his way back onto the European Ryder Cup team -- and forcing Captain Colin Montgomerie to find another assistant -- have received a huge boost. Currently 21st on the points table but with a chance of moving into the all-important top nine at this week's 3 Irish Open, Clarke has been invited to the PGA Championship for the second year running. The event takes place in two weeks' time at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin -- a course that brings back mixed memories for the Northern Irishman. When the event was last staged there in 2004, Clarke shot 65 to lead on the first day, was tied for third with a round to go, but then closed with a 76 and dropped to 13th. It was only last week that the 41-year-old from Northern Ireland was unveiled as one of the European Ryder cup vice-captains alongside Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley. "Yes, I will play if I qualify," said Clarke. "I think Monty will want me to if I do. I think Thomas and Paul will, too. There's no question about that. If I do play well in the events I have left, I possibly could give him a bigger headache. We shall see. "We spoke at length about it and Monty said that he wants me there one way or the other,” he added. "Right now as it stands I'm outside the team and I'm delighted to be part of his backroom staff." Clarke reacted to his invitation by saying: "It's fantastic news -- I'm absolutely delighted and feel very privileged and fortunate." Asked for his main memory of Whistling Straits he added: "A shank on the short 17th in the third round -- a really bad one. I did well to make bogey." There is an added incentive for Clarke this week because the winner of the Irish Open qualifies for next week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.