Darren Clarke struck a huge blow for European golf with a stunning victory in the World Golf Championships – NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club. The Irishman, one ahead going into the final round, carded a superb closing 67 to sweep to victory by four shots from American Jonathan Kaye.
It was Clarke’s second WGC victory, following his win in the Accenture Match Play at La Costa Resort & Spa in 2000, and saw him become only the second player, after Tiger Woods, to have multiple WGC victories.
The World Number One threatened for a spell in the final round but could not produce enough over the final stretch to overhaul The European Tour Member, but to his credit Woods was one of the first people to congratulate Clarke, who finished at 12 under par 268, as he emerged victorious from the Recorders’ Hut.
In the end Woods finished tied fourth with fellow countryman Chris Riley on six under par 274 while Davis Love III lived up to his name by taking third spot on 273 after his final round 69.
But the day, and the tournament, belonged to Clarke, whose fantastic golf and larger than life character saw him endear himself to the huge galleries which thronged the famous old Akron course.
The win meant Clarke has won at least once on The European Tour every year since 1998 and this current success, which saw him pocket €932,919 (£657,977), moved him to second place on the Volvo Order of Merit and onto the coat-tails of current Number One Ernie Els.
“It’s fantastic to win another World Golf Championships event,” he said. “To be only the second player to win two of these behind Tiger is pretty good. Any time you follow anything Tiger has done is pretty good, so I’m delighted.
“I don’t know which one was tougher. Obviously the match play was head-to-head against the best players in the world so that was never going to be easy. But today I was competing against more guys. I managed to get off to a very good start and I played it pretty well I think.”
One shot clear at the start of the round, Clarke rid himself of any nerves with the perfect start, a six iron to 15 feet and one putt giving him an eagle three at the second. When a birdie four followed at the fourth, he suddenly found himself five shots clear of the field, thanks to closest challenger Kaye’s bogeys at the second and fourth.
But any thoughts it was going to be a Sunday stroll were tempered when the Irishman bogeyed the short fifth at the same time Woods was birdieing the seventh and eighth to trim his lead back to only two.
If there was to be a time to fold it was now, but Clarke showed character and no little ability to find another gear and push further ahead with birdies at the ninth, 11th and 13th. The run broke the spirit of the chasing pace and allowed him the luxury of dropped shots at both the 15th and 16th and still cruise to victory.
“I was very calm today, very comfortable but I suppose at 35 I am experienced enough to know what I should and shouldn’t be doing,” he said. “It is great to see progress in my swing, my short game, my mental side, everything, and for everything to culminate in this win.”
Second placed Kaye started nearest to Clarke and finished the same way, but three bogeys in his first six holes put paid to any realistic hopes he had of the title and he finished with a 70 for an eight under par total of 272.
Third placed Love III also peppered his card with bogeys on his way to a 69 and 273 while joint fourth placed Riley and Woods finished with 71 and 70 respectively, Riley’s hopes of success scuppered by three bogeys in a row from the fourth while Woods, looking to win four NEC Invitational titles out of four at Firestone, saw his chance disappear when he bogeyed the 12th, 13th and 18th.
Crowning a great week for The European Tour contingent, six other Members finished in the top 20, Vijay Singh tied for sixth, Trevor Immelman tied ninth, Bernhard Langer tied 11th, while Paul Casey, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen shared 17th spot.
For Langer in particular, the return to form was a welcome one and he admitted he will travel to this week’s BMW International Open in Munich in good heart. He also admitted it was a good start to see one of the men who should form the cornerstone of his European Ryder Cup team next year, perform so well in America.
“We all know Darren is very talented and has the game for this type of occasion and this has given a boost to European golf, yes, and to him personally of course,” said the Ryder Cup Captain, who carded 65-68 over the weekend for a three under par total of 277.
