Darren Clarke is determined to regain his driving ambition to win majors at this week's BWM Italian Open in Turin.

The big Ulsterman, 40, will be trying hard to pull off an "Italian Job" alongside Gary Murphy, Gareth Maybin, Jonny Caldwell and Mick McGeady in the shadow of the Alps.

Hoping to rediscover his power off the tee and begin his climb back to the summit of world golf, Clarke said: “I'm working away like a trouper, in the gym and on the practice ground, so I'm putting the hours in. It's really frustrating.

“My game’s not bad. My good is still very good. But my average is not good enough, that’s what’s killing me.

“My driving’s not as good as it could be and my average golf is not good enough but I’m working hard to get back up there.”

Clarke has had a disappointing run since he finish second in the Sunshine Tour’s Africa Open in January and is ranked 88th in the world behind fellow Ulstermen Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.

He finished in the bunch in the Dubai Desert Classic, the Honda Classic and the CA Championship at Doral before missing the cut in the Houston Open and last week’s Crowns Tournament in Japan.

But he still believes he can win a major and follow in the footsteps of Vijay Singh and Mark O’Meara as a forty-something champion.

Still adjusting to life as a single dad following the death of his wife in 2006, he said: “Mark O'Meara didn't win till he was 41, and I won twice last year, so I can still play.

“The reason I fell out of the world's top 50 is that I didn't play well enough, and that was due to personal circumstances for a while.

“I hadn't been out of the top 50 for maybe 12 years, but when you're outside it's much more difficult to get back in.”

Latest World Rankings:

1 Tiger Woods 9.77; 2 Phil Mickelson 8.57; 3 Sergio Garcia 6.83; 4 Geoff Ogilvy 6.35; 5 Kenny Perry 5.70; 6 Paul Casey 5.60; 7 Padraig Harrington 5.37; 8 Vijay Singh 5.16; 9 Henrik Stenson 5.16; 10 Camilo Villegas 4.79.

Other Irish: 18 Rory McIlroy 3.85; 47 Graeme McDowell 2.38; 88 Darren Clarke 1.61; 104 Gareth Maybin 1.43; 138 Damien McGrane 1.13; 156 Michael Hoey 1.04; 159 Peter Lawrie 1.02; 165 Paul McGinley 1.00.