Showing posts with label DarrenClarke60. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DarrenClarke60. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

Captain Clarke Launches Ryder Cup

Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke, Royal Portrush - Getty Images
Darren Clarke launched the Ryder Cup trophy tour from Royal Portrush Golf Club in his native Northern Ireland on Tuesday, and the European captain had a spring in his step.

No wonder, considering the performance of the continent’s players at the Masters last week. Danny Willett won at Augusta National for his first major championship title and there were six other Europeans in the top 10.

“Hope they are all in the same form in September in Hazeltine,” Clarke said, looking forward to the Ryder Cup against the United States from 30 September until 2 October 2016.

“Any time you see seven Europeans in the top 10 at a major, that’s got to be a hugely positive step. Especially in the year of the Ryder Cup.”

Wearing the Green Jacket, Willett arrived back in Britain on Tuesday following his Masters victory. Speaking at Manchester airport, he said his immediate plan was to “get home, put the kettle on, and change some nappies” after the birth of his first child last month.

Among the many benefits of winning his first major is that it virtually assures his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team for the first time. Willett, ranked No9, is currently top of the world points and European points list.

“He was almost guaranteed to be in the team before he won at Augusta but it was wonderful to see him come through and win in the fashion he did,” Clarke said. “It’s another step in the right direction. He’s a confident, dedicated man.

“You take a look at the top of the world rankings at the moment, you have Rory [McIlroy], Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, and there’s Rickie Fowler pushing hard. But Danny has all the ability to go to the top.”

The Europeans are looking to win the Ryder Cup for a fourth straight time after their victory at Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2014.

The Ryder Cup trophy heads to Belfast next, before it goes to France and Italy – the next two European countries to host the contest in 2018 and 2022, respectively.


Sunday, 17 January 2016

Clarke Starts Ryder Cup Year with Win

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Captain Darren Clarke heaped praise on experienced duo Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter after Europe's comprehensive victory in the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM.

Clarke's men dominated across the three days and won 18½-5½ to lift the trophy for the first time.

Captain's picks Poulter and Westwood were two of three players to deliver a point on all three days of the tournament and Clarke hailed the influence of the pair.

Clarke said: "What Lee and Poults have brought to the team room has been priceless. They have been very, very good. All the young kids have listened to them, they have all learnt from them."

Dane Søren Kjeldsen, who was one of nine Europeans to win their singles match on Sunday, echoed his captain's sentiments. 

"I thought early on in the week, Darren and Lee and Ian standing up in the team room, talking about the importance of this event, and you felt like they brought that fire, that Ryder Cup fire they brought to this tournament," said Kjeldsen.

"I think it sort of lifted all of us to feel the importance of this event to those guys that have done it all a million times before. A big credit to them for lifting the whole team."

Clarke, who will captain the European Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine later in the year, enjoyed gaining experience this week.

He added: "I've enjoyed it immensely. It's been a wonderful learning experience for me. I've been around the game a long time and done most things in the game and been fortunate to do so.

"This is different. I really enjoyed it. The guys seemed to listen to what I had to say, and if my little part of it has helped them along, then well be it."

Saturday, 16 January 2016

Captain Clarke Leads on Day 2

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Europe are in the driving seat heading into the final day of the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM after history repeated itself on Saturday.

Just as he had done on Friday, Ian Poulter helped Europe put their first point on the board in the foursome matches as Europe earned 4½ points for the second day running to extend their advantage to 9-3.

But it was not all plain sailing for Darren Clarke's team, who were trailing in four of the day's six matches when Poulter and playing partner Danny Willett reached the turn.

Poulter, who along with Bernd Wiesberger delivered the visitors' first point in the fourball matches on Friday, was on song again as he and Willett beat Byeong-hun An and Thongchai Jaidee 3 and 2 in the day's first match.

Shane Lowry and Andy Sullivan combined to deliver a point for the second day in succession, beating Shingo Katayama and Prayad Marksaeng 3 and 2.

Wiesberger and Ross Fisher recovered from losing the first hole to beat K.T Kim and Jeung Hun Wang by two holes, while Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick cruised to a 5 and 4 win over Anirban Lahiri and Wu Ashun.

Victor Dubuisson and Søren Kjeldsen finished all square in their match with Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung, while Kristoffer Broberg and Chris Wood lost by two holes to Kiradech Aphibarnrat and SSP Chawrasia in match three.

Willett and Poulter found themselves two up after as many holes without making a single birdie, with the Asian pair twice missing the chance to halve the hole.

The Englishmen extended their lead at the fifth after Willett sent his tee shot to within a foot of the cup, and the Sheffield native sank his ten foot putt at the sixth to give the European duo a four-hole lead.

An and Jaidee took a hole back at the next, but Willett and Poulter won the ninth to regain their four-hole advantage.

The Asian pair reduced the deficit to two holes by taking the 12th and 13th before Europe won the 14th and safely parred the next two holes to close out victory.

Poulter was pleased with their day's work. He said: "It was good golf. We had all intentions to play smart today, keep them under pressure. 

"It's probably their strongest pairing. They played nicely yesterday.

Willett added: "I think me and Poults between us only missed a couple of shots. Like you say, when we were out there, when one of us hit a bad one, the other one backed him up and hit it close on a chip. 

"We didn't really make any mistakes and made a good few birdies for foursomes."

Sullivan and Lowry lost the first hole of the match and remained behind until the ninth, when opponents Katayama and Marksaeng failed to make par.

The European duo went two up after carding birdies at the tenth and 11th, but were pegged back as the Asian pair took the 12th. 

Lowry and Sullivan opened up a three-hole lead after taking the 13th and 14th, and although they lost the 15th, they claimed the 16th to seal the point.

Lowry said: "We went down pretty early and I said to Andy, we just need to be patient, we're playing good enough, and that should do us at the end of the day. 

"I holed a good putt from eight, ten feet on the eighth hole to stay one down and we won the ninth with a par.

"From there on, we played really good. Early doors, there was a lot of red on the board, so it was nice to see the lads dig in and get a bit of blue on the board, as well."

Westwood and Fitzpatrick found themselves one down after they were unable to make par at the first but they soon bounced back, taking the second and third to go one up.

The Englishmen then won the ninth, tenth, 13th and 14th holes to seal their win.

Westwood was happy with their performance. He said: "We played well, made a bogey on the first and gave them one, but after that we were six under and finished on 14, we didn't hit too many bad shots. 

"A lot of fairways, a lot of greens and made putts when we needed to and just always felt in control once we came back from the first hole."

Wiesberger and Fisher were all square with Kim and Wang at the turn after twice bouncing back from going one down.

The European pair went ahead for the first time thanks to Fisher's superb eagle putt at the 11th and they extended their lead further at the 13th.

Their lead was cut in half as their opponents fired a birdie at the next, but they took the 15th to restore their two-hole lead.

Another birdie from the hosts at the 16th reduced the deficit but Wiesberger and Fisher held their nerve, birdieing the last to make sure of the point.

Dubuisson and Kjeldsen were behind for much of their match with home favourites Chia and Fung and were trailing by two holes going into the back nine.

But a sensational eagle putt from the Frenchman cut the Malaysian duo's lead to one before the Europeans took the 15th to square the match.

Chia and Fung regained their one-hole lead at the next but after Dubuisson holed his tricky par putt at the 17th, Fung missed from three feet, so the match was all square going into the final hole, where neither team could do better than par.

After finding themselves two down after as many holes, Broberg and Wood struggled to get a foothold in the match and went three down when they lost the seventh hole.

A birdie at the 12th and a par at the 17th saw them take their opponents to an 18th hole but it was the Asian pair who came out on top, taking the 18th to win by two holes. 


Wednesday, 13 January 2016

Europe's Lowry EURASIA Ready

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Shane Lowry is enjoying his first taste of the atmosphere of professional team golf at the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM but insists Europe will be all business when they tee off against Asia on Friday.

Captain Darren Clarke has brought a 12-strong team to Glenmarie Golf and Country Club as Europe look to win the trophy for the first time following a dramatic 10-10 draw in the inaugural event in 2014.

Lowry is part of that team after a brilliant 2015 season which saw him win the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational and finish fifth in The Race to Dubai.

With the Olympics and The Ryder Cup to play for this year, 2016 could prove to be the biggest yet of Lowry’s career and, while admitting the feeling off the course is very relaxed among Team Europe, he is determined to get his campaign off to a winning start and bring the trophy home.

“Darren is getting that across a lot,” he said. “We need to take this very seriously as a team. At the end of the day, we don’t want to be going home Sunday evening with our tail between our legs and we want to go out there and play as best we can.

“Obviously we need to enjoy ourselves as well, on our downtime and when we are chilling out in the team room, have a laugh or whatever. But when we get on the golf course, be very serious about it and we are definitely looking for a win on Sunday.

“We are all very competitive people. Professional golfers are very competitive people and no matter what we do, if you’re playing a game at home with your mates or if you’re out here playing EurAsia Cup, it’s all the same for me. I’m still trying to play as best I can.

“We’ll be really looking to play well this week and hopefully get off to a nice start on Friday and see what happens come Sunday.

“The environment is a little bit different and it’s nice. Obviously as professional golfers, we play a lot of individual (events), it can become a very selfish game. So to be in a team event and be rooting for the lads, it’s going to be nice this week.”

Matthew Fitzpatrick is another European making a professional team debut off the back of a breakout season, although he does have Walker Cup experience from 2013.

Great Britain and Ireland were beaten 17-9 by the United States on that occasion but Fitzpatrick picked up two points in the Foursomes, as well as one in the Singles, from his four matches and the British Masters supported by Sky Sports champion is hoping to use that experience.

“I’m playing foursomes and fourballs, last time I did was Walker Cup two years ago,” he said. “So I played it then.

“For me, I always enjoy it and it seems like all the lads are enjoying it so far. That’s the big thing, you’ve got to go out there and play as well as you can but at the same time enjoy it.

“I think the big thing is probably the banter within the team. I think everyone on the outside probably thinks we’re all so serious and really grim, but it feels like it’s just one big laugh.

“Me personally, I haven’t stopped laughing all day, playing with (Danny) Willett, Lee (Westwood) and (Ian) Poulter. I think for me, it’s obviously something I really enjoy and doesn’t feel like there’s so much pressure so far. It’s good to just keep enjoying it.”

While Fitzpatrick and Lowry may be rookies in the team room, Lee Westwood is a veteran of these types of situations, having played on nine Ryder Cup teams with seven wins.

The 42 year old was a captain’s pick for this week, along with Ian Poulter who has five Ryder Cups under his belt, and while he admits that brings some extra pressure, he does not think the younger players around the team will have to look to him for guidance.

“I think Darren probably looked at his team and sees it’s a young team,” he said. “Not too much team golf experience in it and wanted some experience in there. Therefore, he’s picked myself and Ian.

“Obviously when you’re a captain’s pick, you feel a little bit more pressure to perform and validate that pick. But I’ve been a pick for The Ryder Cup a couple of times, and this is the first time I’ve played the EurAsia Cup obviously and got picked this week.

“I think all the lads that are playing this week are great players in their own right and they really don’t need much. They have played on a big stage before, maybe not so much team golf but I’m sure they have played a bit of team golf coming through the amateur ranks, things like that.

“But it’s the same principle as anything else: You try to hit it down the middle, hit it close and then make the putt. That takes care of most forms of golf.

“Obviously this week and later on in the year, you’re representing Europe, but you try to not let that get in the way and not let that kind of thinking get in the way and just do your own thing, play your own game, and the game that got you into the team.

“Hopefully that’s good enough to win your points.”


Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Why Not Another Clarke Kent Job


A year ago Darren Clarke travelled to Kent content that some form had returned in Mallorca two months previously, securing his first European Tour title since August 2008. His three-shot victory over Chris Wood and David Lynn in the Iberdrola Open ended a barren spell, which the Dungannon had calmly dealt with as Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy made major history. Especially as for years it was the colourful Clarke who was supposedly pre-destined for golf’s greatest prizes.

It must have been a tough and lonely time, compounded by his own personal challenges following the passing of his wife Heather in 2006 – all of which he was handled with discretion and dignity. 

The scenes on the final green at Royal St. George in Sandwich last July proved that in sport there is some natural justice, and fairy tale endings, as at 42 years of age Clarke joined that fats growing list of Irish major winners. In doing so joined the hallowed company of Fred Daly – about whom he would have heard many a tale growing up in Northern Ireland – who won the first major at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake in 1947. It was a fitting ending for Clarke who arrived surrounded by a lack of form at The Open Championship, still forging a relationship with his caddie, and facing some financial uncertainties, according to post event reports by his manager Andrew Chandler – all of which must not have been easy. 

The one thing that week was, Darren was playing a links course and anything could happen, particularly at Royal St George. Just ask Tiger Woods. Or Thomas Bjorn. Or indeed the winner in 2003, Ben Curtis. 

However Darren is well versed in the fine margins that are play in The Open Championship having led the event on the final day at Royal Troon in 1997, when in his pairing with Jasper Parnevik he shanked his 3 iron shot on the second hole and ended the momentum garnered on the first days – when he signed for a 67 and 66. Although the winner signed for a 65 that day, Clarke must think what might have been that bonnie day in Scotland, had things been different, which may have never given Justin Leonard his chance. Hence all the joy and emotion was understandable a year ago. 

In many ways though Clarke’s 2011 win should not have been a surprise as his record at the Open Championship is very good. 

At Royal Lytham in 1996 he finished (11th on his and was third when it returned in 2001, which bodes well for this year’s event. Clarke’s St Andrew's record shows a 7th and 15th with second place behind Leonard in 1997 at Troon followed by an 11th place at the same venue in 2004 – signing for a round of 68 on the final day. Although his two Open outings before Sandwich would have hardly given the bookies any worries as in 2010 at St. Andrew’s was more than non descript, finishing 44th , and 2009 at Turnberry a 52nd place. But those two years also coincided with a slump in form as he went about basing himself in Portrush - returning to Northern Ireland after years living in England. 

As The Open Championship looms next on the Major calendar Clarke will come to realise that the media pressure that comes with winning the Claret Jug pales into insignificance when compared to the scrutiny when having to defend the title. Which makes Padraig Harrington’s achievements at Royal Birkdale in 2008 really Tigeresque, as those who have been able to achieve that are virtually all from the Hall of fame – Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke, Walter Hagan, Bobby Jones. Previous to Harrington’ s back- to-back win it was 1983 when Watson notched his name, with Australian Peter Thompson the only one to better that with three consecutive titles – 1954, 1955 and 1956. 

The assessments of the Open Champions' form over the past few weeks have increased and the relief of making the cut at Royal Portrush last weekend at the Irish Open offered palpable relief. 

Unlike more recent seasons where wins just proved elusive, Clarke’s problem this year has become a battle with the dreaded cut as in eight outings Darren has only made two of them. At Royal Portrush, his home course, it required a 69 on day two to ensure safe passage into the weekend in an event he had spent most of the year promoting, planning and supporting. In the end rounds of 73 and 71 secured only a share of 39th place, which was a disappointing given the hours, days and years dreaming of lifting a winning trophy on the 18th green of the Dunluce course. However it has also been a few months plagued with a groin strain that has hampered his season since it first became an issues at the Masters in April. 

Missing the cut at Le Golf National on Friday in the Alstom Open de France, after a quadruple bogey at the third last, put him one shot on the wrong side of the cut. Attracting much of the unsolicited pre-Open scrutiny. 

In the last visit to Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2001 Clarke ended day one in 21st place after an opening round of 70, and four shots off the pace set by Colin Montgomerie of 65. By the end of Friday the 2010 Ryder Cup captain gave up five shots to narrow the lead to one, with Darren Clarke coming home in 69 strokes for a six way share of 9th place. In exalted company too as he was joined by Tiger Woods, Des Smyth, Brad Faxon, Rory Sabattini, Billy Andrade, Mark O’Meara and Ralph Jacquelin. On the Saturday Clarke repeated his sixty nine to secure fifth place ahead of the final day and just none shot off the lead - held by David Duval, Ian Woosnam, Billy Mayfair and Alex Cejka. 

Going into Sunday paired with Parnevik once again for the final day of The Open, Clarke carded a round of 70, enough to take third place as the challenges all in sundry collapsed on the day With Duval one of the few to hold form and sign for a championship winning 67. 

No different to his final Sunday at Royal St George’s at last year’s Open Championship o where a final round 70 was enough to secure the Claret Jug with other about him seeing their challenge wily tint he Kent coast weather. With the young US pretender Dustin Johnson unable to muster an assault on the back nine, and Masters champion seeing his 68 fall three shots short of a play-off. Not unlike the way the course took it’s toll in 2003, the script for Curtis was written that day, as it was for Bjorn. Bo doubt as it was for Darren Clarke, who was winning more than his fair share of those much needed lucky bounces on the Open courses. Or indeed for Harrington in both 2007 and 2008 when his fellow challengers fell by the wayside as the pressure retched up. 

At Royal Lytham & St. Annes Clarke returns as champion to a links that holds favoured Open Championship memories no doubt, and do so knowing he is one of those few golfers that have won a major. Not worrying about a bad day at Le Golf National. The only fear maybe the cut. 

But Portrush proved that it’s not really a problem when needed. 

There is still also a feeling that there us another fairytale finish left in this story. 


©IrishGolfClubGazette

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Clarke Enjoys Special Portrush Day

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Darren Clarke believes playing at Royal Portrush helped him become Open champion at Royal St George's last year.

Clarke, who has known this week's Irish Open venue since he was a boy, said: "I moved up here when I was young, played an awful lot of my golf here and moved back a couple of years ago.

"Winning The Open was due - a lot of it was due - to the fact that I was living here and playing Royal Portrush."

Now Clarke hopes the first staging of this event in Northern Ireland since 1953 can spark him back to life.

The 43-year-old defends the claret jug at Royal Lytham in just three weeks' time and is desperately looking to find some form after a nightmare slump.

Clarke is bursting with pride that the course he knows so well has received rave reviews and that the tournament is a sell-out - the only time that has happened on the European Tour outside of a major.

"The Irish Open has always been one of my favourite tournaments and to have it here at Royal Portrush with this amount of people makes me very, very proud," Clarke said.

"It's all worked out unbelievably well. The players love it - it's almost got an Open feel, which is what I think the course deserves.

"Every one of my fellow Tour pros bar none has been full of praise already.

"The Open is the biggest and best tournament in the world - obviously I won last year, so I have to say that. But it is and for guys to come here and say everything about it feels like an Open Championship is about as big praise as anybody can give it."

The extra special nature of the week began for him on Wednesday when he partnered both his father Godfrey and older son Tyrone, plus Westlife's Shane Filan, in the curtain-raising pro-am.

Clarke has not played for a month, missing the Nordea Masters in Sweden and then the US Open because of a recurring groin strain.

He hopes the break has enabled him to start afresh in a season in which he has, amazingly, yet to survive a halfway cut.

On both his fitness and his game he described things as "not too bad", adding: "I've been down here quite a lot practising and I'm looking forward to getting back."

He had said earlier this month that he would be playing with the aid of a Zimmer frame if necessary, but it will not be necessary.

He said: "I'll crawl around. I've been working away and hopefully things will turn around pretty soon."

Rain and wind is expected during for the tournament and, having conquered foul conditions at Sandwich last July, Clarke does not mind that at all.

He added: "The forecast is for pretty normal Portrush weather. It might not be to everybody's liking, but I've played it in some pretty horrific conditions, so hopefully that will be a little bit of an advantage.

"It's a course you need to know a little bit - definitely in bad weather."



Monday, 25 June 2012

Royal Portrush in Major Welcome

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After months of fervent anticipation, the wait is finally over as Royal Portrush Golf Club prepares to welcome a sell-out crowd of 100,000 fans to join The European Tour’s celebration of Ireland’s golfing success at the 2012 Irish Open.

Nearly 60 years have passed since Northern Ireland last hosted the Irish Open in 1953, and not since 1947 have The European Tour’s elite graced the famous Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush.

But this week, following the remarkable Major-winning exploits of Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke over the past two years, the country is ready for a week under the golfing microscope as the eyes of the golfing world focus on Portrush.

Never before has Northern Ireland enjoyed such a tidal wave of success as in recent years. McDowell started the ball rolling at the 2010 US Open Championship at Pebble Beach, before McIlroy succeeded his great friend 12 months later with a record breaking performance at Congressional. 

Not to be outdone by his younger compatriots, Clarke then added one of the most emotional Open Championship victories in recent memory to produce a stunning hat-trick in the space of 13 months.

This week’s homecoming will be particularly special for two of Portrush’s Honorary Members, McDowell, who learned his game on the famous links as a starry-eyed youth, and Clarke, a Portrush resident and Honorary Member of the club who has played there since his teenage years.

Northern Ireland’s aforementioned trio of Major Champions will be the undoubted stars of the show this week, but a supporting cast led by Ireland’s three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington, reigning US PGA Champion Keegan Bradley, the newly crowned Amateur Champion Alan Dunbar – a Portrush native – and a host of other Major Champions, Ryder Cup stars and European Tour winners, including another home favourite Michael Hoey, will add so much to what promises to be a fantastic event.

Simon Dyson will defend the title he won last year in Killarney over the Dunluce Links of Royal Portrush Golf Club, a venue so often hailed as one of the greatest tests of links golf in the world.

Thanks to the partnership between the Northern Irish Tourist Board and The European Tour’s long term partner in Ireland, Failte Ireland, the Irish Open will be played in the north for the first time since the Tour’s inception in 1972 – an historic occasion which has caught the imagination of golf fans worldwide resulting in an unprecedented demand for tickets and the first sell-out crowd at a regular European Tour event.

This week represents the fourth time Portrush has staged the Irish Open, and the first since 1947 when Harry Bradshaw took the first of his two Irish Open titles, the other also coming in the north at Belvoir Park in 1949.

Royal Portrush’s Dunluce Links staged The Open Championship in 1951 when Englishman Max Faulkner’s three under par total of 285 was enough to take the Claret Jug by two shots from Argentina’s Antonio Cerdá, while the last Major Championship action at the venue came in 2004 when American Pete Oakley won the Senior Open Championship – the sixth Senior Open to be played there.