ESPN Golf

MUNICH -- Darren Clarke's name has been added to the European Tour's entry list for the Madrid Masters tournament from Sept. 14-17, the week before the Ryder Cup match between Europe and the United States.

U.S. Ryder Cup team
WHAT: The 36th Ryder Cup. WHERE: The K Club, Dublin, Ireland. WHEN: Sept. 22-24, 2006. The team: • Tiger Woods • Phil Mickelson • Jim Furyk • Chad Campbell • David Toms • Chris DiMarco • Vaughn Taylor • J.J. Henry • Zach Johnson • Brett Wetterich • Stewart Cink • Scott Verplank Analysis: • Sobel: Will Cink, Verplank make impact? • Sirak: On paper, U.S. is underdog

After telling Europe's Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam he would like to be considered for one of his two wild cards, the Northern Irishman can now give himself at least one week's tournament practice if he is selected on Sunday in Munich.

Clarke, whose wife Heather died on Aug. 13 after a long battle with cancer, has not played tournament golf since missing the cut in the British Open on July 21, but is being tipped strongly as one of Woosnam's choices.

A spokesman for Clarke's management company, International Sports Management, said: "He feels if he is picked, he needs a competitive week.

"But even if he is not chosen, it will be his only chance for tournament practice before he plays in the Amex (WGC American Express Championship from Sept. 28-Oct. 1)."

Even with little match practice, Clarke could be a considerable force for Europe.

He has beaten world No. 1 Tiger Woods to win the WGC Accenture Matchplay Championship in the past and has a fine track record at the Ryder Cup venue, the K Club in Ireland, where he won the 2001 European Open and has had a European Tour record round of 60.