NI hails man who `tamed the Tiger'

Politics was edged sideways yesterday as the front-page headlines and the radio and television news reports in Northern Ireland were dominated by stories about the "million dollar man" who "tamed the Tiger".

Dungannon, Portrush and Bushmills were all claiming proud ownership of Darren Clarke after he won the million dollar first prize in the Andersen Consulting Match play Championship in the US on Sunday, in the process taking the scalp of Tiger Woods.

Clarke learned his golf around Dungannon where his father Godfrey was the greenkeeper, and when he's not globetrotting now plays at Royal Portrush. His parents' home at Bushmills was inundated with congratulatory wishes from all over Ireland yesterday.

Clarke flew back to his home in Sunningdale, near London, yesterday and because of a tournament this week in Dubai was unable to take a diversion to join in the celebrations in Northern Ireland.

But he left a few bottles of champagne with his parents, Godfrey and Hettie, to be cracked open at times of celebration. Around 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, when Clarke claimed the prize, the corks began to pop in the Clarke household.

"We had a few friends around and we celebrated in the traditional Irish manner until a little bit after midnight - well, quite a bit after midnight," Godfrey Clarke told The Irish Times. "This win was great for Northern Ireland and for Ireland as a whole," he added.

He believed his son was now well placed to win one of the major titles, possibly a US Masters or a British Open. While based in London, Darren Clarke ultimately plans to anchor himself in Ireland. He already has property in Portrush, and has bought more land in the Co Antrim seaside resort with plans to build a new home, said Mr Clarke.