Darren Clarke happy to return to action

Darren Clarke will return to action this week at the South African Airways Open. And promising to donate any winnings this week to the tsunami relief effort.

The Northern Irishman, ranked No. 14 in the world, pulled out of the Nelson Mandela Invitational and the Nedbank Golf Challenge, in November after discovering that his wife Heather was suffering from cancer again

At one point, Clarke was said to be considering missing the entire 2005 season to be with his wife. However, the 36-year-old Ryder Cup star is sufficiently satisfied with her progress and recent medical reports that he is ready to return.

"Heather and I have been astounded by the amount of get-well cards, texts and e-mails we have received since it became known that she was ill," said Clarke.

"There is still some way to go, but Heather's oncologist is satisfied Heather is responding well to her treatment and is happy with her progress," he added. "And nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be able to put the winner's check into the tsunami fund.

"Golf has been placed into perspective after what has happened at home and elsewhere."

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