• Open Championship, Final Round

Clarke claims first major title by three shots

ESPN staff
July 17, 2011
Darren Clarke even had time to share a joke with the crowd before completing his maiden major triumph © PA Photos
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Darren Clarke became the third Northern Irishman to win a major for the first time in the last year after holding his nerve to win the Open Championship by three shots from Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson at Royal St George's.

The 42-year-old, who was one of only three players to shoot an under-par round on Saturday, followed in the footsteps of compatriots Graeme McDowell and the recently-crowned US Open champion Rory McIlroy by becoming the oldest Open winner since Roberto De Vicenzo in 1967 - he was 44.

Playing in his 20th Open Championship, Clarke began the day with a one-shot lead and he got off to a positive start when he rescued a par at the first with a tremendous 20-footer. That reprieve galvanised him and he walked off the second with a birdie to stretch his lead.

A brief wobble at the par-four fourth was quickly forgotten courtesy of a majestic eagle at the seventh. A string of pars followed, allowing playing partner Johnson to cut the deficit with two birdies in three holes, before the American's challenge all but ended with a double bogey at 14. That poor hole appeared to drain the life out of his bid as he never recovered, finishing off with a bogey to sign for a 72 that pushed him back to two-under.

Understandably, Clarke showed a few nerves coming in but he headed to the 18th with a three-shot lead despite having dropped a shot on 17. And a bogey at the last failed to quieten the partisan crowd as an emotional Clarke signed for a 70 to win by three strokes.

Mickelson threatened an assault on the title with a trademark surge on the front nine. As is so often the case with the four-time major champion, one piece of brilliance kick-started a glut of birdies but eventually he ran out of steam. Three birdies and an eagle helped him reach the turn in 30 but, after picking up another shot at the 10th, the wheels came off and four bogeys saw him sign for a 68 - leaving him in a tie for second.

Rickie Fowler was in contention as he headed to the first tee but his final round, which did not contain any birdies, never truly caught fire. Level par for the day heading down the stretch, the American was punished as he went for broke and a two-over 72 was all he could muster.

US Open champion Rory McIlroy failed to produce a final-day flourish, carding a disappointing 73 to end the tournament on seven-over par. The Ulsterman began brightly enough, rolling in a birdie at the par-four second. However, things started to unravel at the third, where he double-bogeyed, before a moment of misfortune led to a one-shot penalty at the seventh. With the wind picking up, his ball moved after he had addressed his putt, and to make matters worse he then missed his par effort - forcing a wry grin from the 22-year-old. A birdie at 13 produced some cheers but bogeys on his final two holes saw the youngster end on a sour note.

McIlroy's playing partner Sergio Garcia threatened an assault on the title after getting off to a flyer. A birdie at the second was one of four in six holes but unfortunately for the Spaniard he could not sustain his charge. A double bogey at eight checked his progress and all of a sudden the momentum was lost. Garcia traded two bogeys with two birdies, including one at the last, to finish on a high - although a closing 68 left him pondering what might have been had he not signed for a damaging third-round 74 on Saturday.

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez was one of few under par at the start of play but that soon changed as he quickly got himself into a heap of trouble. The signs were ominous from the outset when he bogeyed the first and, although he responded with an immediate birdie, more dropped shots left him reeling on four-over for the day ahead of his back nine. The problems continued and an error-strewn round of 78 left its mark - he finished on seven-over.

Phil Mickelson produced an early charge but could not sustain his flying start © Getty Images
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It was a day to forget for defending champion Louis Oosthuizen and the big-hitting Bubba Watson. Last year's winner Oosthuizen did not manage to hole a single birdie during a dire 77. Seven bogeys told their own story, the South African ending well down on 13-over. Watson found eight of 14 fairways but his putter betrayed him when he needed it most, a second consecutive 74 leaving the American on nine-over.

Veteran Tom Watson capped a positive week with another encouraging display, signing for a 72. There were no hole-in-ones to shout about but plenty of fine play nonetheless, as the five-time Open champion finished on six-over.

Tom Lewis claimed the Silver Medal after finishing as top amateur. The Englishman has warmed the hearts of the watching crowds at Sandwich this week and his final-round 74 was met with rapturous applause. Once again he was unable to match his opening 65, but there were the occasional flashes of brilliance in another eye-catching display. The 20-year-old appears to have a bright future and his week was capped when he picked up the Silver Medal ahead of US amateur champion Peter Uihlein, who finished three shots behind Lewis on 12-under.

Simon Dyson finished as top Englishman following a battling 70. He was never at his fluent best, as four bogeys suggest. A brilliantly-taken eagle at the par-five seventh was the highlight but a level-par 70 was a deserved score, leaving him on two-over for the week. Justin Rose came back strongly from his disastrous third-round 79, ending on 11-over after a gutsy 70.

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