Victory by Clarke would be well received
A British Open win by Thomas Bjorn would be a wonderful feel-good story, especially at the course where he blew his best chance for a major, at Royal St. George’s in 2003, and in light of the death of his father this spring.
But even better might be a victory by Darren Clarke, who is tied for the lead at 4-under-par midway through the second round. The 42-year-old from Northern Ireland, Clarke is a beloved figure in the British Isles.
He has 13 wins on the European Tour and two on the PGA. But the five-time Ryder Cup player has never captured a major championship, and it’s been 10 years since he finished in the top 10 in a major, tying for third at the 2001 Open Championship at Royal Lytham won by David Duval.
Clarke’s career took a turn when he missed several tournaments to help care for his wife, Heather, as she battled breast cancer, a fight she eventually lost in 2006, leaving him to raise sons Tyrone, 13, and Conor, 10.
In his wild second round on Friday morning, Clarke had a double-bogey, an eagle, five birdies, and three bogeys, his ups and downs, a microcosm of his career.
If he remains on the leaderboard on Sunday, there’s little doubt who most at Royal St. George’s would be pulling for.
Asked by ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi to explain his popularity, Clarke said he was a regular guy who “likes to enjoy a pint.”
He also enjoys cigars, a characteristic he shares with one of the men he is tied with, 47-year-old Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, another worthy European Tour veteran (18 victories) who also is seeking his first major.
A win by Clarke also would be the third by a Northern Irishman in the last six major championships following the success of Graeme McDowell in the 2010 U.S. Open and Rory McIlroy in the 2011 Open.
