British Open 2011 Results: Where Does This Win Rank in Darren Clarke's Career?

Kathy Bissell

Some golfers never have defining moments. Some have them for the wrong reasons. And some have moments that are burned in the memories of everyone who witnessed them.  

Darren Clarke has the latter. While winning The Open Championship is his biggest individual achievement, it is not his defining moment.

His biggest professional moment—from the outside looking in—came in 2006 when, six weeks after the death of his wife Heather, he played on and was embraced by the European Ryder Cup team and won three points for their side. 

Every person assembled for Clarke’s his tee time on Friday of that week says it was the biggest ovation they have ever heard in golf. Bigger than anything at Augusta National, bigger than the Fred Couples eagle at 16 in his second Players Championship victory, where you could actually feel the sound. Bigger than any cheer for Norman or Faldo or even Ballesteros at the Open Championship.  

As Gary VanSickle, Senior Writer for Sports Illustrated, wrote:

“Tell me you didn’t get misty-eyed when Clarke strode to the first tee Friday morning and got the loudest ovation in the history of golf, a wall of sound that hit you like a hurricane’s wind. Tell me you couldn’t stop smiling when, under all that pressure and all those eyes, Clarke pounded a perfect drive, stuffed an approach shot close and birdied the first hole, earning another stunning roar.” 

Anyone who was there and anyone who watched still remembers. No shot he hit in this week’s Open Championship was harder to hit that that one.

In the end, in 2006, the European Team won. Afterward, Clarke cried and hugged teammates, sprayed champagne and then reflected on the situation.

“My team have been unbelievable,” he said. “The American guys have just been, the support that they have shown me, and their wives, has just been incredible. And the crowd on Friday morning will be something I cherish forever.”

Captain Ian Woosnam declared it Clarke’s Ryder Cup. 

To say that winning the Open Championship is a bigger moment than Darren Clarke had at the 2006 Ryder Cup would not do justice to his family’s tragedy. However, the victory at Royal St. George’s, is his biggest professional triumph, a victory that was unexpected for a 42-year-old, no matter what his country.    

Clarke’s major championship victory provides some perks that he probably was not thinking about as he walked up the 18th hole.  He is exempt for the Masters, US Open, Players Championship and PGA Championship for five years. He can play the Open Championship until he is 60, and if he plays like Tom Watson, longer. 

For the victory, he earned approximately $1.45 million. He also hit the monetary jackpot with Dunlop clothing, having a pay-for-wins contract that will bring him £2 million. It is likely his biggest single payday, although Clarke does not need the money. He has won nearly € 20 million in his career.

(http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/clarke-can-pocket-pound2m-bonus-by-winning-open-2823635.html )

But what does he say about having the Claret Jug for a year.  

“It's been a dream since I've been a kid to win The Open, like any kid's dream is, and I'm able to do it, which just feels incredible, ” he said.

He said he was not in good spirits Tuesday, but he spent some time with sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella, which he said helped. He would not reveal the discussions.

“My golf seems to—if I feel as if I'm putting better, my whole game seems to be better—and that's what happened to me this week,” he explained. “I didn't putt fantastic, but I was pretty solid.  Yesterday, I played as good as I could play from tee to green, and I didn't really get anything out of it. Today, I played not bad; I played okay. Got a couple of good breaks that went my way.”

Like the balls that headed for bunkers only to turn away from them. Like a charging Phil Mickelson whose game went on vacation on the back nine. 

There’s no denying Clarke’s skill at links golf. His practice at Portrush last week plus whatever Rotella said this week certainly worked. 

Clarke even quoted a friend and former European Tour player, Ken Brown.

“I was once given a quote from a guy called Ken Brown, who's part of the BBC commentary team this week,” Clarke began. “Brownie has been a friend of mine for a very long time, and he said to me before my first Ryder Cup in Valderrama in 1997, ‘Don't let your golf game determine your attitude, let your attitude determine your golf game.’ If my attitude is good, then the ball-striking is going to be good. If my attitude is not so good, then nothing is going to be any good. My attitude has been very good this week, and it's shown in the way I'm hitting the ball.”

Clarke played like a guy who knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn’t risky. He wasn’t flashy. He was just plain good. Very good on a day when others struggled.  

“You can't take anything for granted. It was just one of those things where I was trying to be sensible,” he insisted. “As I said yesterday, I'm going to go out and try and play my best, and my best today was enough to win.”

Is he going to retire? Not a chance. He’s going to have a party, go on Weight Watchers, and then, do some goal-setting for winning more golf tournaments.

“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,” he said meaning his late wife, Heather.  “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.”