Clarke claims first win in three years

GOLF:WITHOUT A win on tour in almost three years, Darren Clarke yesterday proved the old adage about form being temporary and class being permanent.

When he got a sniff of a win in the Iberdrola Open in Mallorca, the Northern Irishman – some 66 tournaments since his last victory in the Dutch Open of 2008 – pounced with a furtiveness which belied his age.

At 42 years and 274 days, Clarke – who closed with a final round 69 for 274, six-under-par, to claim a three-stroke winning margin over Englishmen Chris Wood and David Lynn – became the oldest winner on the PGA European Tour so far this season.

Clarke’s return to winning ways came in the week of Seve Ballesteros’s funeral and he paid tribute to the legendary Spanish player after his win.

“We wouldn’t be here without him, simple as that. The European Tour would not be in the position it is today without Seve . . . he was the first man to do so many things and make so many breakthroughs. So, to win in his homeland in the week he has passed away is a real honour.”

In returning to winning ways, claiming the 20th worldwide win of his professional career and 13th on the European Tour, Clarke – playing for the first time in over a month since the Hassan Trophy in Morocco at the start of April – moved back into the top-90 in the official world rankings.

Once a serial winner on tour, including recording wins on tour in every season from 1998 to 2003, Clarke’s win acted as a spur to Graeme McDowell, who had a one -stroke lead going into the final round of the Players championship on the US Tour.

“Well done DC!! Now for @Graeme_McDowell to make it a Northern Irish double!!,” tweeted Rory McIlroy.