World Golf Championship:  Darren Clarke is normally immune to colds and flu and other such ailments. As recently as last Sunday night, in the middle of the wild Ryder Cup celebrations at The K Club, a wheezing and sneezing Lee Westwood tried to elaborate on his latest cold symptoms only to be cut down like a comedian being heckled from the audience

"Face it, you know he's a hypochondriac," interjected Clarke. "All the rest of the guys on the team know he's a hypochondriac. He's always going to be sick. It just so happened that he got through it today. You know he's always sick. He always plays his best when he's sick."

Unfortunately for Clarke, mocking in this case seems to have been catching. Or, maybe, he just got too close to Westwood during the celebratory party that started not long after Henrik Stenson knocked in the winning putt for Europe. Because, ever since he arrived home to London on Monday morning, Clarke has been battling flu and feeling pretty darn miserable. He even wondered if he should play in the American Express championship at The Grove, near Watford.

"If I wasn't playing with Tiger (Woods) this week I wouldn't be here," admitted Clarke. "I feel shocking. I'm on all sorts of medicine. I never get sick, never. But I've just got no energy."

Certainly, this week's championship has been a bit of a comedown for Clarke after the emotions and heroics of a week ago, where, as a captain's "wild card" pick, and playing just six weeks after his wife, Heather, had passed away, he contributed three points from three matches in Europe's record-equalling win.

Yesterday at Watford, Clarke added a level-par 71 for a midway total of 139, three under, all of 12 shots behind leader Woods.

For the past two days, Clarke had a close-up view of the world number one's imposing form.

"You know, Tiger's played awesome for two days. He's hardly missed a shot, just played awesome. I don't think he could be a shot worse.

"Everything he has done has been just fantastic. I've rarely seen him play so well; it's been a pleasure to watch. It's as good golf as I've seen in a very, very long time."

Sick or not, Clarke has been able to relax in Woods's company. On the practice range yesterday morning, noticing that Woods had gotten into a bunker to practice some shots unaware that the Ulsterman was playing over the trap, Clarke gently lobbed some balls in towards the championship leader.

Woods's reaction was instinctive, and left those spectators fortunate to see the interaction whooping and hollering. When one of Clarke's balls landed near his feet, Woods simply readjusted his stance, splashed the ball out and watched as it dropped straight into the hole.

On the course, though, Woods made sure that he kept his distance in the main from his friend.

"It's always fun playing with Darren," he said. "Darren's one of my best friends out here.

"I've always enjoyed playing with him in practice rounds, tournament rounds, it doesn't matter. We always have a great time playing.

"Obviously, he's feeling terrible right now, he's as sick as a dog. He didn't really do a whole lot of talking out there because he's got a scratchy throat and some stuff flying up out of it, so I've been doing my best to stay away," said Woods.

While Clarke has been battling with the effects of flu, he at least had a welcome distraction on Wednesday, prior to the tournament, when he held a zoo party at home for the birthday of his son Conor.

"We had a monkey, snakes and all sorts of carry-on," said Clarke. "I'm not into animals like that, but he is.

"About four times Conor broke out into smiles that were worth a million Ryder Cups."