Darren Clarke
Name:
Darren Christopher ClarkeAlso known as:
ClarkeyCountry:
N. IrelandBorn:
Aug 14, 1968 in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, N. Ireland.Original/Home Club:
Dungannon GC, N. IrelandOccupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
1990Website:
https://www.darrenclarke.comMAJORS (1): The Open (2011). Ryder Cup player (1997, '99, 2002, '04, '06). Ryder Cup captain (2016). Multiple wins on the European, US PGA, Japan and Asian Tours. Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE (2012).
Darren Clarke is one of the world's leading Tour players who plays predominantly on the European Tour, but also in the USA, Asia and on other international tours. He attended college at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, before turning professional in 1990.
Clarke's illustrious playing career saw him become a legendary Ryder Cup player, culminating in his 2006 appearance, six weeks after the death of his wife Heather. Contributing three points from his three matches, he was warmly embraced by players on both sides as Europe went about recording a famous 18.5 to 9.5 points victory at Ireland's K Club.
Clarke was made an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2012. He currently lives in Portrush in Northern Ireland.
America
Mitsubishi
Played as the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai (Jan 21-23; PGA Tour Champions season-opener). Second-placed Retief Goosen (RSA) finished 2 shots behind Darren Clarke (N.Ire), who recorded his second PGA Tour Champions win. [Hualālai course, Hualālai Resort, Big Island, Hawaii].
America
TimberTech
Played as the TimberTech Championship (Oct 30-Nov 1). Second-placed Jim Furyk (USA) and defending champion Bernhard Langer (Ger) finished 1 shot behind 52-year-old Darren Clarke (N.Ire). Clarke recorded his first PGA Tour Champions win in his 40th start on the Tour. [Old Course, Broken Sound Club, Boca Raton, FL].
Majors
R&A
The Open Championship (140th) (July 14-17). Second-placed Phil Mickelson (USA) and Dustin Johnson (USA) finished 3 shots behind Clarke (N.Ire). This was the first win in a major championship for the popular 42-year-old Irishman. [Royal St George's GC, Sandwich, Kent].
Europe
Iberdrola
Played as the Iberdrola Open (May 12-15; next played as the Mallorca Golf Open in 2021). Second-placed Chris Wood (Eng) and David Lynn (Eng) finished 3 shots behind Darren Clarke (N.Ire), who claimed his 13th win on the European Tour. [Pula GC, Son Servera, Mallorca, Spain].
Asia
BMW
Played as the BMW Asian Open (April 24-27; Asian/Eurpn Trs event). Second-placed Robert-Jan Derksen (Neth) finished 1 shot behind Clarke (N.Ire), who enjoyed his first European Tour win in almost 5 years. [Tomson GC, Pudong, Shanghai, China].
Europe
KLM
Played as the KLM Open (Aug 21-14). Second-placed Paul McGinley (Ire) finished 4 shots behind fellow Irishman Clarke (N.Ire). [Kennemer G&CC, Zandvoort, Netherlands].
Japan
Mitsui Sumitomo
Played as the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters (Nov 10-13; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Mitsuhiro Tateyama (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Clarke (N.Ire), who recorded the last of his three Japan Tour wins. [Gotemba course, Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Jpn].
Japan
Mitsui Sumitomo
Played as the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters (Nov 11-14; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Lee Westwood (Eng) and Nozomi Kawahara (Jpn) finished 6 shots behind wire-to-wire winner Clarke (N.Ire), who recorded his second Japan Tour win. [Gotemba course, Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba, Shizuoka, Jpn].
WGC
NEC
Played as the WGC-NEC Invitational (Aug 21-24). Second-placed Jonathan Kaye (USA) finished 4 shots behind Clarke (N. Ire). [South course, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio].
Europe
Compass
Played as the Compass Group English Open (June 6-9). Second-placed Søren Hansen (Den) finished 3 shots behind Darren Clarke (N.Ire), who won this title for the third time in four years. [Arden course, Forest of Arden CC, Meriden, nr Birmingham].
Japan
x
Played as The Crowns - International Invitation Golf (April 26-29; Japan Tr event; aka the Chunichi Crowns). Second-placed Keiichiro Fukabori (Jpn) and Shinichi Yokota (Jpn) finished 4 shots behind first-time Japan Tour winner Clarke (N.Ire). [Wago course, Nagoya GC, Aichi, Japan].
Africa
Dimension Data
Played as the Dimension Data Pro-Am (Feb 1-4; Sunshine Tr 2000/01 season). Second-placed Tjaart van der Walt (RSA) and Retief Goosen (RSA) finished 2 shots behind Clarke (N.Ire). [Gary Player CC, Sun City Resort, North West Prov, RSA].
Europe
Smurfit
Played as the Smurfit European Open (July 5-8). Second-placed Thomas Bjørn (Den), Ian Woosnam (Wales) and Pádraig Harrington (Ire) finished 3 shots behind Darren Clarke (N.Ire). [Palmer North course, K Club, Straffan, nr Dublin].
Europe
Compass
Played as the Compass Group English Open (June 1-4). Second-placed Michael Campbell (NZ) and Mark James (Eng) finished 1 shot behind defending champion Darren Clarke (N.Ire). [Arden course, Forest of Arden CC, Meriden, nr Birmingham].
WGC
Andersen Consulting
Played as the WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship (Feb 23-27). Clarke (N.Ire) beat Tiger Woods (USA) 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final. [Champions course, La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, Calif.]
Europe
Compass
Played as the Compass Group English Open (June 3-6). Second-placed John Bickerton (Eng) finished 2 shots behind Darren Clarke (N.Ire), who recorded his fifth European Tour win. [Hanbury Manor CC, Ware, Herts].
Europe
Volvo
Played as the Volvo Masters (Oct 29-Nov 1; Eurpn Tr season-ending event). Second-placed Andrew Coltart (Scot) finished 2 shots behind Clarke (N.Ire). [Montecastillo Resort, Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain].
Awards
Eurpn Tr
Clarke (N.Ire) recorded the season's lowest stroke average on the European Tour. Colin Montgomerie (Scot) was second with 69.66; Lee Westwood (Eng) was third with 69.85.
Europe
Benson & Hedges
Played as the Benson & Hedges International Open (May 14-17). Second-placed Santiago Luna (Esp) finished 3 shots behind Clarke (N.Ire). [The Oxfordshire, Milton Common, nr Oxford].
Europe
Linde
Played as the Linde German Masters (Oct 3-6). Second-placed Mark Davis (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Clarke (N.Ire), who recorded his second European Tour win. [Berliner G&CC Motzener See, Motzen, nr Berlin].
Europe
Alfred Dunhill
Played as the Alfred Dunhill Open (Oct 7-10). Second-placed Vijay Singh (Fiji) and Nick Faldo (Eng) finished 2 shots behind first-time European Tour winner Clarke (N.Ire). [Royal Zoute GC, Knokke-Heist, West Flanders, Belgium].
Tournaments:
Solheim Cup: can Europe defend the most prestigious team trophy in women’s professional golf, when the 17th Solheim Cup is played out at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio (Sept 4-6).
Italian Open: Nicolai Højgaard recorded his first European Tour win (Sept 5), just a week after his twin brother Rasmus landed the European Masters title (Aug 29); the first brothers to win back-to-back on the European Tour.
Who's Who:
Patrick Cantlay: moved into the world top 5, after winning the final two FedEx Cup playoff events and scooping the $15 million first prize.
Trish Johnson: kept the Senior LPGA Championship trophy in European hands, with her second win in this event in its four-year history.
The San Roque Club: "... how best to revitalise a course that had previously been fit to play regular host to the European Tour’s qualifying school finals..." by Toby Ingleton.
New 27-hole golf complex to be built in southern Belgium
A new golf complex in southern Belgium, close to the border with Luxembourg, will start construction in June 2021.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club "makes its tournament debut with the hosting of the Italian Open on the European Tour" by Richard Humphreys
Gamble Sands opens short course:
David McLay Kidd’s 14-hole QuickSands short course has opened for play at Gamble Sands in Brewster, Washington.
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