What an exciting weekend in golf - even without Lorena or Tiger!
First, Annika Sorenstam held off Paula Creamer on the first playoff hole to win the Stanford International and the 71st title of her career. It's heartwarming to see Annika playing so well again and win her 2nd event this year.
Next, Adam Scott, the "too cute for words" Australian, long overdue for a win, sank an unmakeable 48-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole yesterday to defeat Ryan Moore of the U.S. and win the Byron Nelson Championship. I thought only Tiger Woods did things like that. But perhaps Mr. Butch Harmon was right when he said that Adam"is the only one who can challenge Tiger Woods in the next four or five years".
But the story that touched me the most, was the come back of the decade, when Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland won the BMW Asian Open with a 40 foot putt on the final hole (see Irish Independent story below). Darren has won 2 World Championships and 9 other European Tour events, but this one was by far the sweetest.
Not a lot of North Americans follow the European Tour, but few golfers wouldn't know Darren Clarke. The amiable Ulster man made US headlines in 2006 when he was chosen as a Ryder Cup Captain's pick only 6 weeks after he tragically lost his wife, Heather, to cancer. I was one of those skeptics who thought it was too soon and that he wouldn't be able to perform at the highly stressed event, but his courage and determination made him a star at the Ryder Cup. It was one of the most emotional Cups I have ever watched and even now it brings tears to the back of my eyes when I remember Darren winning his match 3-2 over Zach Johnson on the 16th hole and breaking down into tears. I still get goosebumps over that.
Everyone who knows him, loves Darren Clarke, with his Spike hair and a grin that would make any golf gal swoon. Sure, he smokes a cigar on the course when plays and he can drink you under the table, but he is a dedicated professional. He is well loved by players on both sides of the pond. Even when Elin Woods won her court case, she donated her money to a charity in his wife's name.
This weekend, Clarke dedicated his win to his two little boys, Tyrone and Connor. And hearing him say it brought more tears to my eyes.
“This is very special, probably the greatest I have achieved. It has been the toughest of them all, to try and get back up to where I feel my golf should be. It’s nice to win again, a very good feeling. Hopefully, I have made Tyrone and Connor very proud,” said Clarke. “This was always going to be a massive hurdle for me, to get the first win since Heather had passed away. It’s nice that I just about managed to clamber over it. Being honest, I probably fell over. [Always a joke for the media from the Irishmen :)]
I've been watching the European Tour looking for the old Darren since 2006, and this year I really felt he was coming back into his prime again. Every weekend I looked for him on the leader board and this year he hasn't been that far off. A year ago, he could hardly make a cut.
How many of us could go through such heartbreak and come back out the other side? I'm not sure I could do that. I probably would have quit after last year. Heck, I wanted to quit yesterday after a pathetic round of golf. But Clarke, with the support of family and friends (many of them PGA Tour pros) never gave up. He is a great role model for his kids and us adults too.
Welcome back Darren! I will be your biggest supporter for this year's Ryder Cup team. Given your comeback this year, I have no doubt, there's a major win inside of you, just clamoring to get out!
Golfgal
www.golfgal-blog.com
Photo by: © Isogood | Dreamstime.com
Wonder- putt secures Clarke’s ‘greatest win’
Irish Independent
28 Apr 2008
DARREN CLARKE threw his arms wide in utter elation. “Yeahhhhhhhhhh,” the Ulsterman roared, before catching his caddie Phil ‘Wobbly’ Morbey in big bear hug. “Wow,” said Clarke. Wow indeed. There could have been no more spectacular conclusion to Clarke’s...read more...
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