Perhaps the new Open winner Clarke will be able to convince the 22-year-old that he can win in all weathers. Pre-Open favorite McIlroy, winner of the US Open by eight shots last month, was only 25th at squeeze in and sounded negative about his future chances.
I'm not a fan of tournaments that the outcome is predicted so much by the weather - it's not my sort of golf, said the 22-year-old.I'm looking forward to getting back to America and receiving back into some nice situation.
Links fan Clarke, whose win will add to the calls for the Open to be play at Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951, and McIlroy are both in the field for next week's Irish Open in Killarney.
Then it will be on to the States for the world championship in Akron - Clarke won there in 2003 - and the US PGA, where they will play the first two encircling with their stalemate and Masters winner Charl Schwartzel.
They also now have the Grand Slam in Bermuda later in the year and Clarke,900,000 richer right away and with a report 2million backing bonus to come, will next April make his first trip to Augusta since 2007.He has become excused for the following four Masters as well and can play in The Open until he is 60. Only three years ago he was back having to meet the criteria for it - and failing.