Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke (born August 14, 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who plays on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. He was born in Dungannon, County Tyrone.
Clarke has been featured in the top 10 in the Official World Golf Rankings. The most prestigious titles he has won are the 2000 WGC - World Match Play Championship when he defeated Tiger Woods in the final, and the 2003 WGC-NEC Invitational. His highest finish on the European Tour money list is second, which he achieved in 1998, 2000 and 2003. He has represented Northern Ireland in the World Cup and Alfred Dunhill Cup and played for Europe on four consecutive Ryder Cup teams 1997, 1999, 2002, and 2004.
Contents |
[edit] Private life
Clarke met his wife Heather in a nightclub in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The couple had two sons, Tyrone (born 1998) and Conor (born 2001), and the family lived at Sunningdale, Berkshire. In 2005 and 2006 he missed several tournaments to care for his wife, who was diagnosed with both primary and, later, secondary breast cancer.
Heather Clarke died at 2.15am on Sunday August 13, 2006 at 39 years of age, in the Royal Marsden Hospital, London (the day before her husband's 38th birthday)[1].
Clarke's friend, Paul McGinley immediately announced his own withdrawal from the PGA Championship starting in Medinah, Illinois on Thursday. In a statement McGinley said, "Our two families are very much intertwined, obviously me and Darren, but Heather and (McGinley's wife) Ali were the best of friends and our kids are in the same class at school. So it is a tough time for us all."
Clarke is a keen cigar smoker, on and off the golf course, and has been reported to spend an estimated £25,000 per year on cigars.
[edit] European Tour wins
- 1993 Alfred Dunhill Open
- 1996 Linde German Masters
- 1998 Benson and Hedges International Open, Volvo Masters
- 1999 Compass Group English Open
- 2000 WGC-Anderson Consulting World Matchplay Championship, Compass Group English Open
- 2001 Smurfit European Open
- 2002 Compass Group English Open
- 2003 WGC-NEC Invitational
[edit] Other professional wins
- 1992 Ulster Professional Championship
- 1994 Irish National PGA Championship
- 2001 Dimension Data Pro-Am, Chunichi Crowns (Japan Golf Tour)
- 2003 Benmore Developments Northern Ireland Masters (Challenge Tour)
- 2004 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters (Japan Golf Tour)
- 2005 Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters (Japan Golf Tour)
[edit] Professional team appearances
- Ryder Cup (Europe): 1997 (winners), 1999, 2002 (winners), 2004 (winners)
- Alfred Dunhill Cup (Northern Ireland): 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
- World Cup (Northern Ireland): 1994, 1995, 1996
- The Seve Trophy (Great Britain & Ireland): 2000, 2002 (winners)
[edit] Amateur wins
- 1990 Spanish Amateur Open Championship, Irish Amateur Championship
[edit] Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T8 | CUT |
| U.S. Open | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT | T43 | T43 | T10 |
| British Open | T64 | CUT | T39 | T38 | T31 | T11 | T2 | CUT | T30 |
| PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T40 | 24 | T20 | T28 | CUT | T17 | T22 |
| U.S. Open | T53 | T30 | T24 | T42 | CUT | DNP | 56 |
| British Open | T7 | T3 | T37 | T59 | T11 | T15 | CUT |
| PGA Championship | T9 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T13 | CUT | DNP |
DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Profile on the official site of the European Tour
- Profile on the official site of the PGA Tour
- Golf Stars Online links to profiles and features
