IT WASN’T as if a genie had suddenly materialised out of a bottle and, hey presto, Darren Clarke’s game was magical again. No, behind the scenes, away from the glare, he’s been putting in countless hours working on his game. “It got very, very frustrating,” he admitted, of that time when it seemed impossible to put together a score.
Now, perhaps, Clarke – a one-time regular in the elite of the sport but who has slipped to 179th in the world – has turned the corner; and there is not only light at the end of the tunnel, but a great world of anticipation awaiting.
Yesterday Clarke – whose last win of consequence came in the 2008 Dutch Open – showed he still has some magic in those hands.
With a swirling wind causing players to second guess their club selection and spells of rain adding to the challenge, the 41-year-old Ulsterman shot a second-round 68 for 141, three-under-par, which gave him individual honours, a shot clear of Luke Donald.
A winner, again.
Clarke delayed his departure to this week’s stop on the PGA European Tour in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond so that he could enjoy his return to the winner’s enclosure in this 36-hole charity tournament that uses golf as a fundraising tool to raise money for causes in the Mid-West.
For Clarke, though, there is the hope it can prove to be a stepping stone and a confidence booster to a brighter future in regular tournaments and, indeed, the majors.
As of now, Clarke doesn’t have a berth in the British Open at St Andrews next week – having failed to come through qualifying at Sunningdale last month – and would need to finish as the leading player not already exempt in the top-five at the Scottish Open to earn a late ticket.
“If I play at Loch Lomond like I played here, maybe I’ll get to the Open.
“I’d love to make it, because I love St Andrews.”
The highpoint of Clarke’s round came at the seventh, where he hit driver and seven-iron to 20 feet and holed the eagle putt.
“I’ve been working hard but putting poorly. Something clicked after I came off the greens in Paris (last week, where he missed the cut in the French Open).
“I changed a little bit of my set-up and all of a sudden I’m rolling the ball better. That changes my outlook to the game, knowing I can hole some putts to make birdies.
“You’re just fed up when it’s not happening (in tournaments). It’s frustrating. It’s very, very frustrating. There is a little bit of ‘why do I bother any more?’
“I mean, when you’re working as hard as I have been and getting nothing out of it, it’s very difficult to keep on doing the same things. I do it because of my desire to succeed, to prove to myself I can still compete and play.”
As things go, this win could prove to be just the catalyst Clarke needs. After all, it did Pádraig Harrington the power of good when he won it five years ago.
PROFESSIONALS(Irish in bold, par 72)
141 – D Clarke73, 68
142 – L Donald (Eng) 73, 69
143 – E Els (Rsa) 73, 70, S Lowry72, 71
144 – G McDowell 75, 69, D Howell (Eng) 74, 70, P Hanson (Swe) 71, 73, I Poulter (Eng) 75, 69
145 – H Slocum (US) 76, 69, J Furyk (US) 71, 74, D McGrane73, 72, R Green (Aus) 75, 70
146 – S Hansen (Den) 72, 74, M Kaymer (Ger) 74, 72, J Cook (US) 71, 75, D Johnson (US) 74, 72, P Casey (Eng) 76, 70, R Allenby (Aus) 73, 73, R Sabbatini (Rsa) 71, 75
147 – C Villegas (Col) 73, 74, J Daly (US) 76, 71, R McIlroy72, 75, G Maybin74, 73
148 – T Woods (US) 79, 69, P Harrington76, 72, S Webster (Eng) 73, 75 G Fernandez- Castano (Spa) 75, 73, JM Olazabal (Spa) 76, 72, T Lehman (US) 74, 74
149 – S Marino (US) 75, 74
150 – J Edfors (Swe) 72, 78, M Campbell (NZ) 78, 72, A Noren (Swe) 73, 77, J Van de Velde (Fra) 74, 76, R Finch (Eng) 74, 76
151 – T Bjorn (Den) 77, 74, J Rose (Eng) 80, 71, N Watney (US) 74, 77 P McGinley 78, 73
152 – B Curtis (US) 81, 71, M O’Meara (US) 76, 76 M Manassero (Ita)
153 – F Funk (US) 79, 74, H Stenson (Swe) 72, 81
154 – L Glover (US) 73, 81, JB Holmes (US) 77, 77, G Murphy76, 78, P Lawrie76, 78 D Higgins 76, 78, A Scott (Aus) 77, 77
156 – R Rock (Eng) 78, 78
Retd – S Lyle (Sco) NR – A Quiros (Spa), T Immelman (Rsa)
Teams
255 (33-under-par) – Lourdes Invalid Trust I: Poulter with Bernard Hackett (11), Padraig Hackett (13), Ray Hackett (15). 258 – St Joseph’s Foundation: Slocum with Evan Talty (8), Eric Murrihy (13), Michael Talty (14); Gerry McManus: Els with Gerry McManus (18), Mark McManus (18), Cormac McManus (15); Lourdes Invalid Trust II: Cook with Gary Neville (13), Neal Whelan (13), Cian Foley (15).
