Clarke adds another major for Europe
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2011 The Open Championship | Wrap | 18 Jul 2011
Darren Clarke has won the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St Georges and in the process has, at the age of 42, broken through for his first major championship.
Ranked 111 in the world at the beginning of the week, Clarke’s position and status in the game will rise considerably as a result of this win as will that of European Tour players who added their sixth consecutive major championship title with Clarke’s victory.
In 53 previous major championships Clarke had recorded only six top tens but the Open Championship had always appeared to be the one he would win if he was to win one.
In 1997 he had finished runner-up to Justin Leonard at Royal Troon and in 2001 finished 3rd to David Duval at Royal Lytham and St Annes. He also recorded another top ten in this event when 7th behind Woods at St Andrews in 2000 so he had contended in this event previously but the breakthrough had been long awaited.
Clarke handled the turbulent conditions of the weekend brilliantly, especially given the expectation of what was at stake. He had indicated on Friday night that he would welcome the rough conditions that he been forecast for the weekend and he was as good as his word.
Clarkes trials and tribulations off and on the golf course over the past six or so years have been well documented but in a touching moment during his acceptance speech he again reminded us all of just how tough it has been when he acknowledged the spiritual presence of his late wife Heather who passed away after a battle with breast cancer in 2006. Their two boys also got a special mention.
“All worth it, most definitely,” said Clarke when referring to the battles he has had. "To sit here and talk in front of you guys with this trophy being The Open champion just means the world to me.
“In terms of what’s going through my heart, there’s obviously somebody who is watching down from up above there, and I know she’d be very proud of me. She’d probably be saying, ’I told you so’. But I think she’d be more proud of my two boys and them at home watching more than anything else. It’s been a long journey to get here. As I say, I’m 42 and I’m not getting any younger.
“But you know, I’ve got here in the end. It may be the only major that I win, it may not be the only major that I win. But at least I’ve gone out there today and did my best, and my best was good enough to win. If I had come off and hadn’t won, I could still have said I did my best. I can’t ask for anything — I ask my two boys to do their best and that’s what they do. I can’t ask them for any more, so I think their dad should try and do the same.”
Today Clarke entered the final round with a one shot lead over Dustin Johnson and although never headed on day four was challenged by both Johnson and Phil Mickelson before they dropped off and Clarke played such flawless golf that even two late bogeys would not make a difference.
Those bogeys by Clarke perhaps flattered the challengers as in the blustery and squally conditions that prevailed all day he was outstanding with virtually no chink in the armour evident.
Clarke was joined in the lead by Mickelson who made a fast start to the day in his quest for not only his first Open Championship but a victory that would have elevated him to another level in the manner he is perceived in the game.
Mickelson has a poor record at the Open Championship having recorded just one top ten in 17 appearances but when he eagled the 7th hole today from 30 feet he had moved to 5 under for the day and had joined Clarke in the lead at 5 under for the Championship. It was amazing stuff from the lefthander especially given his questionable record in the type of conditions that prevailed on the final day.
Two groups after Mickelson had eagled the 7th, Clarke came to that hole and hit his approach to 20 feet. When that went in he had drawn two ahead. Mickelson had chances at the 8th and 9th to close the gap but missed although when he holed from 25 feet at the 10th the margin was back to just one.
Crucially for Mickelson – and perhaps the outcome of the tournament – the American three putted the 11th and although he made a nice par save at the 12th he would again miss from short range at the 13th. His brave bid was all but over.
That left Clarke’s playing partner Dustin Johnson as his nearest challenger. When Johnson birdied the 12th from 18 feet he had worked his way back from a slow start and was within two. His length appeared as if it might work in his favour at the par five 14th. Surely this was the opportunity to close the gap, especially after a great drive, but with a strong wind whipping across the hole he lost his second shot to the right and was claimed by the Out of Bounds fence.
Johnson’s resultant double bogey there left Clarke four ahead of Johnson and Thomas Bjorn who was still a consideration. Even allowing for the significance of the occasion, however, Clarke was not about to let a lead such as that slip. He got a little lucky at the 15th when his 2nd from the right rough bounced over the traps and ran to the front of the green.
Clarke made par and was four ahead with three to play. He safely negotiated the potentially dangerous par three 16th and by then he could enjoy the walk. He still had work to do however and a bogey at the 17th from just short of the green kept his mind on the job.
At the 18th and with a three shot lead he found the fairway and, although a little long with his approach, with Johnson in trouble he had more shots up his sleeve than he needed to avoid any real concern.
He would take a final bogey but it hardly mattered as he would still win by three over Johnson and Mickelson, the latter of who recorded his best finish in an Open Championship with Johnson serving notice that he could well feature in many Open Championships to come.
Thomas Bjorn ended up in 4th position on his own while Chad Campbell, Anthony Kim and Rickie Fowler all shared 5th position.
The leading Australian was Richard Green after his final round of 71 gave him a share of 16th position.
Adam Scott still felt he had an outside chance of something special on the final day but it was not to be. After a good enough start to the final round he went the other way dropping five shots in six holes through the middle of his round. Scott eventually finished in a tied for 25th which is his third best Open Championship result in 12 appearances.
Robert Allenby finished 48th and Matthew Millar 63rd.
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