Darren Clarke News

Two celebrations separated by Sundays on either side of the Irish Sea could not have looked more different. Nor could they have been more emotionally connected. Darren Clarke lit up a cigar when the Ryder Cup was securely in Europe's possession, then chugged a pint of Guinness from the balcony of The K Club and raised the empty glass as a trophy for all Ireland to see. One week later, ...

The tears flowed freely. Darren Clarke hugged too many people to count. Ian Woosnam unlocked himself from one of those embraces, then took Clarke's arm and lifted it into the air _ a champion's salute for a player who was every bit a champion and more. Six weeks after his wife, Heather, died of cancer, Clarke got to celebrate camaraderie, friendship and a European victory Sunday in the Ryder Cup. ...

He hugged everyone: His playing partner, captain, caddie, his opponents and their caddies, too _ even one of their wives. That's because Darren Clarke will never again hold the one person he wanted to hug most. Almost six weeks after Heather Clarke succumbed to cancer, her husband of 10 years stood on the first tee Friday morning at the Ryder Cup and stared through misting eyes down the barrel of ...

The shiny gold trophy sat on the table, and Ian Woosnam wasn't sure whether to take it with him. Standing to leave his news conference Monday at The K Club, the European captain clutched it in his right hand and was headed out the door when he walked past Darren Clarke and instinctively handed him the Ryder Cup. For all the emotions swirling around Clarke in the five weeks since ...

Padraig Harrington and Gary Orr each shot a 7-under-par 65 Friday to share the second-round lead at the Madrid Masters while Darren Clarke was eight strokes back in his first tournament since his wife's death. Harrington and Orr were at 12-under 132. Ian Poulter (66) followed at 133. First-round leader Jean-Francois Lucquin (69), Ignacio Garrido (66), Christian Nilsson (66) and 2003 winner Ricardo Gonzalez (67) were at 134. Harrington closed ...

Darren Clarke shot a 4-under-par 68 Thursday in his first tournament since the death of his wife and trails leader Jean-Francois Lucquin by three strokes after the opening round of the Madrid Masters. Lucquin's 65 put him a shot ahead of Richard Fichardt and Miguel Angel Martin. Former winners Padraig Harrington and Ricardo Gonzalez were among a group of five at 67. ``With a warm putter, I would have been ...

Darren Clarke choked back tears as he spoke about his return to golf a month after the death of his wife. Clarke is playing in the Madrid Masters this week to prepare for Europe's defence of the Ryder Cup next week at The K Club in Ireland. ``I wouldn't be playing if I thought it would hurt the team,'' Clarke said Wednesday, his voice cracking. ``Heather was always very much ...

Golfer Darren Clarke of Northern Irelans has received thousands of messages from friends and fans since the death of his wife last month. Buoyed by the support, he is considered a wild-card pick for the European Ryder Cup even though he hasn't played competitively since missing the cut at the British Open in July. On Sunday, Ian Woosnam will make two captain's picks for the Ryder Cup team. Clarke took ...

MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) _ The PGA Championship is never an easy time for the Europeans. Someone is always bringing up that oh-fer streak, a mark of major futility now at 75 years and counting. An Aussie, a couple of South Africans and someone from just about every corner in the United States have won since a European-born player last hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy. This week, though, the pain the Europeans ...

LONDON (AP) _ Heather Clarke, the wife of golfer Darren Clarke, died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. She was 39 Darren Clarke said he will continue his break from golf and Paul McGinley, a close friend of the Clarke family, said he also has withdrawn from this week's PGA Championship. Throughout her illness, Heather Clarke insisted her husband continue playing, but he decided to stop after the British ...