Winding back the clock

For this week’s blog, I found myself presented with a surprising piece of good luck. Darren Clarke’s open triumph had not been the topic of any of the other articles.

Previously, I have used this forum to argue that only the pinnacle of sporting achievements ever lifts a competitor from the mundane: Paul Lawrie and the Greek football team were my two chosen examples of this.

Darren Clarke had a very successful golfing career in respect to tour victories and Ryder Cup adulation, however he has now entered the elite club of major winners, at the tender age of 42.  I only followed the Open Championship by means of news highlights, with the exception of the final few holes, when it was almost assured that Clarke would win.

The rain and wind at the Royal St. George course were seen as a real “leveller” - nullifying the advantage normally given to long drivers of the ball.

However wind and rain have been a constant feature of golf at the Open – Clarke is still the oldest Open winner in my lifetime and the one with the worst ranking (111), since the ranking system began in 1986. Let’s be honest about it as well, Clarke is not a 42 year old with the body of a 30-something. His fondness for smoking and drinking has been duly recorded and there is evidence of a love for fine dining. Although it must be admitted that he is slightly trimmer now than at times in the past – I would put that down to the new woman in his life.

Hence his victory should resonate with all armchair fans, far beyond their peak fitness, especially golfers. Perhaps they should endeavour to spend more time on the 19^th hole, toss away the bananas and other high energy snacks – in favour of tobacco’s stimulating effects.

Lee Westwood and Clarke are both coached by the same man, Pete Cowen. Westwood has recently gotten rid of his spare tire to improve his core strength. His performances of recent years have drastically improved, which resonated in a number one world ranking (current ranking is two).

Cowen must have been somewhat dismayed that the Northern Ireland man did not follow suit. Instead Clarke stuck to his guns and kept his vices – ironically it is he and not Westwood, who has added: major championship and sporting immortality after his name.

There has been much made of Clarke’s victory in the Irish press, including the shock realisation that the political entity of Northern Ireland has claimed three major winners within thirteen months. However I feel that Clarke’s age and world ranking are far more inspiring than what part of the world he comes from. He showed us the unpredictable beauty of golf and sport, Clarke had failed to win a major during the peak of his career – what chance did he have now? The bookmakers ranked him a 125 to 1 shot before the tournament, but sport can still, in the highly professional era, be as volatile as the weather.

Thomas Bjorn led after day one and I would have gladly cheered him home to Open success. As only a casual observer of the game of golf, I was not aware that he nor Clarke, were actually playing the event. Bjorn, at 40, is almost as aged as Clarke and a Bjorn victory would have been as unlikely, before the competition.

So let’s not spend too much time, either here or north of the border, patting ourselves on the back. This recent spate of major winners, from our tiny Island (note Padraig Harrington, has three majors to his name also), is probably just something of a “golden generation” – it is not something in the water, nor is it some form of Irish golfing superiority, which we decided to keep to ourselves for all these years and only release upon the world in recent times.

Take as much satisfaction as you want from the event and I personally have immensely enjoyed Clarke’s win. The player himself did not celebrate with moderation and nor should the fan, but do not politicise or nationalise his great achievement.

M.C.