'A great feeling'
Last updated: 2nd May 2008
Clarke: emotional win
I sat there in a bit of disbelief and I shed a few tears away from all the cameras.
Darren Clarke
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Darren Clarke opened his heart to Golf Night following his emotional return to the winner's circle.
Popular Irishman Clarke holed a 30-footer at the 18th last weekend to take first place at the BMW Asian Open and claim his first European Tour title in five years.
The victory was his first since the death of his wife, Heather, and Clarke admits emotions were running high throughout the tournament and afterwards.
Speaking to Golf Night ahead of the Open de Espana, he said: "It feels great. It's been a while since I've had that sort of feeling.
"Saying that, I got home at 6am on Monday and I was so jet-lagged I haven't slept a lot! But it's great to get back in the winner's circle."
Clarke missed simple putts during a nervous final nine holes, but redeemed himself and took the victory in fine style on the final green.
He admits the emotion of the occasion got to him, but he is proud of the way he battled through.
He continued: "I knew the first win after Heather passed away was always going to be a difficult one and was always going to be an emotional one.
"Thoughts were coming into my head and I couldn't separate them from the task at hand.
"But as professional golfers, that's what we have to do. It sounds easy to say, but you have to focus on what you're doing, one shot at a time.
"But I wasn't able to do that, my mind started racing, I got ahead of myself and that's the worst thing that can happen in golf. It's a recipe for disaster, but luckily I gathered myself enough on the last to hit the putt and hole it.
"Yes, there's a lot of skill in holing a 30-putter, there's a lot of luck involved as well. I was very fortunate to do it on the last green to win a tournament."
Tears
Clarke has been frustrated by his results in recent tournaments, but feels the negativity has now gone - although he admits tears were shed shortly after his win in Shanghai.
He added: "Because of the way of being playing of late - I was playing okay but not getting the results I was looking for - I was almost getting myself into a situation where I was waiting for things to go wrong and for bad things to happen.
"I'd messed up on 16 and 17 and there I was on 18 with a chance to win. I took a couple of deep breaths, gathered my thoughts and it went in. I couldn't quite believe it had gone in - maybe it was destiny.
"To do that to win a tournament feels great - because I'd actually done it when I really had to and that's a great feeling.
"I was trying to be as strong as I possibly could throughout the whole thing, but when I went in to sign my card it sunk in that I'd crossed the hurdle - in fact I'd fallen over it.
"I sat there in a bit of disbelief and I shed a few tears away from all the cameras.
"I'd done it. I'd got myself back to where I wanted to be."
To find out how he celebrated the win and to hear more about his Ryder Cup hopes, click on the video link in the top right of your screen.
- Video
