Player
Profile :
The big man from
Northern Ireland is
one of the most popular
players in the world
and is in the midst
of an incredible career.
Clarke was the first
European golfer to
win a World Golf Championship
event when he upset
Tiger Woods in a 36-hole
final in 2000 at the
Anderson Consulting
Match Play Championship.
Three years later,
he won his second
World Golf Championship
at the esteemed NEC
Invitational becoming
one of only two players
to win more than one
World Golf Championship
– the other being
Tiger Woods.
However, his outstanding
and record-breaking
accomplishments do
not end here. In addition
to winning fourteen
titles and being the
only player to win
the English Open three
times, he was also
the first player on
the European Tour
to shoot 60 more than
once. In fact, Clarke
commemorated his achievement
by registering a license
plate that reads “DC
60”. Clarke finished
second on the European
Tour money list in
1998, 2000 and 2003.
The accomplished
stroke-play golfer
has managed to win
somewhere around the
world at least once
a year between 1998
and 2005. However,
when it comes to the
match-play play game
he is a true master.
In addition to winning
the World Match Play
Championship, he has
played six consecutive
Ryder Cups for Europe
and enjoyed four victories.
Clarke’s latest achievement
came in helping rout
the Americans at the
K Club in September
for yet another Ryder
Cup success.
Off the course, Clarke
uses his success for
the benefit of others.
He has helped organize
a Pro-Am to aid the
victims of the Omagh
bombing and has established
the Darren Clarke
Foundation, a charity
that aids the development
of junior golfers.
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