Golf Masters: Darren Clarke is in for a disappointing season if the judgment of the majority of Golf Masters managers is anything to go by.
The Dungannon man was winless on the European and PGA Tours in 2004 and having not made a great start to 2005 ranks as only the fifth most popular of our Irish players, featuring in 937 teams.
Of course, if events at La Costa last month are taken to heart, Clarke isn't even ranked number one among members of Royal Portrush.
That honour goes to our most loved player this year, Graeme McDowell, who was included by 4,146 managers (30 per cent of the total).
Aaron Baddeley (nickname "Dresses" Baddeley) rivals Clarke when it comes to challenging choices in the trouser department but his dress sense didn't deter 3,169 managers from making him second most popular behind McDowell. His good form and a0.8 million price tag proved a tempting combination.
Among the fab four chasing the world number-one spot, Tiger Woods (990 teams) proved marginally more popular than Phil Mickelson (916), Vijay Singh (908) and Ernie Els (887). The Golf Masters opinion is that Retief Goosen (341) is a level below the other four.
Players Championship winner Fred Funk is on 272 teams but joint runner-up Tom Lehman is among the least popular of the 232 players on our roster, featuring in only 37 selections.
