As he sat back sipping on a glass of Rose, Darren Clarke revealed he has approached the R & A to order the maximum number of three replicas of the Claret Jug following his Open Championship success.

Clarke gets to keep a full size replica of the most famous trophy in all of golf while the three ¾ size replicas will no doubt be presented to those close to him.

Darren Clarke orders three replicas of the Claret Jug.

The replicas don’t come cheap and it’s believed it will cost Clarke a few thousand Euro for each item.

The R & A had put a cap of three on the number of Claret Jug replicas following Padraig Harrington’s 2007 triumph at Carnoustie.

It is believed Harrington eventually ordered upwards of half-a-dozen replicas at a very considerable cost to the Irishman.

The Claret Jug was first awarded to Tom Kidd in 1983 and replaced a Moroccan leather belt presented the previous dozen Open Championship winners.

The R & A keeps the original housed in its clubhouse.  It has awarded a replica jug to the champion since 1928.

Two other replicas are used by the club for exhibitions and tours.

And there’s a quirky misspelling of Hoylake (Holylake), and one of the courses on The Open rota of championship courses, that those with a sharp eye will know what is the genuine Claret Jug and which is a copy.

As he’s done for the past three days, Clarke found his way to the Chalet restaurant on the main street running through Crans Montana that’s located no more than a couple of hundred yards from the front entrance to the Crans-sur-Sierre course.

Some hours earlier, Clarke had recorded an Omega European Masters second round level par 71 that included 34 frustrating putts.

Joining him sitting at a table in front o the restaurant was fiancee, Alison and his ISM manager, Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler where they shared a ice chilled bottle of Rose.

Clarke looked relaxed and despite two rounds still to play in Switzerland, he was already looking ahead to what will be a busy end-of-year schedule.

“I thought I had my season schedule all worked out and along came Royal St. George’s,” he said sipping from his glass.

“And you could say I’ve been pulled from pillar to post to go in play in so many tournaments as there has been so many requests.

“But then that’s a nice luxury to enjoy as the Open Champion and I wouldn’t change that for anything.

“I’m going to Bermuda next month for the Grand Slam so that’s another reward for winning The Open, and there’s events in Shanghai and so on.

“But then I’m no stranger to travelling to foreign places and I’m really looking forward to playing the Australian Masters at Coolum because I hear it’s a great course and a good atomsphere.

“I’ve played in Australia a few times now including most recently at Royal Sydney for an Australian Open and I’ve always enjoyed my time in Australia.

“Also I’m joining Lee (Westwood) and Rory (McIlroy) in the new Asian Tour event in Bangkok, the Tour Championship.   I was interviewed about the event this week by one of the Asian Tour press guys and he says it’s going to be an exciting new tournament of their Tour schedule.”

“That event ends on the Sunday before Christmas, so there’s going to be much time off over the festive break but I know I will be looking forward to it very much.

“It’s going to be the first Christmas back home in Portrush for the boys and our families.”

And Clarke has promised organisers in Australia and Thailand, the Claret Jug will be among his travelling possessions.