Darren Clarke has targeted 2007 to move back up the world rankings, starting today in his first European Tour event of the year at the Qatar Masters.

Clarke took a step back from golf last year to be with his wife, Heather, who eventually died from cancer in August.

After playing in the British Open at Hoylake in July the Ulsterman participated in only five tournaments, including the emotional Ryder Cup, and slipped down the world rankings to 42nd.

But earlier this month Clarke helped the European team defeat Asia in the Royal Trophy in Bangkok and he is now looking for a solid display on his return to a stroke play event at the Doha Golf Club.

"I am playing this week, next week (Dubai Desert Classic) and Malaysia so I have three tournaments in a row and I want to get back competing again," he said.

"My game was a bit rusty in Bangkok, which wasn't surprising because I had played five tournaments since last July so I am obviously short of competitions. But I managed to do reasonably well there and I'm looking forward to getting back in a position to challenge over the next three weeks.

"It is a new start for me again and I have got to get back into my job, and I want to do that and get back to competing regularly. I am 42nd in the world rankings having not played, and I want to get back up those rankings again and the only way I can do that is by playing well.

"There are lots of world ranking points available here, which is great. Any time we get a field as strong as this at a European Tour event there are a lot of points on offer. That is why I think if we get a lot of the top-ranked players playing we get a lot of the rest of the guys coming along as well, because you know you can make considerable leaps up those rankings if you do well."

Clarke is joined in the field by compatriots Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell.

Meanwhile, Paul Casey, who won in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, will hope to take his good form in the Middle East into this week.

The victory moved the 29-year-old up to a career-high 13th in the world and Casey is keen to secure back-to-back wins to improve that further.

"Henrik (Stenson) came very close last year with the runner-up in Abu Dhabi and then a win here, and it set him up beautifully for the rest of the year and got him up the world rankings so that would be great," he said.

And Ernie Els has targeted a return to his best as he, like Clarke, prepares for his first tournament of the year.

It took until the final month of last year before Els won an event in 2006 as he captured the South Africa Open.

He was denied the Dubai Desert Classic last February when he lost in a play-off to Tiger Woods but it was otherwise a disappointing year by his own standards.

However, after taking a break over the festive period, Els once again picks up his clubs looking for an early victory at the Doha Golf Club.

"I haven't felt I have been on top of my game since 2005," he said. "I want to get back to the form that I want to perform at and get back to competing with the best again. That is my goal."