Clarke - Winning is a dream come true
From Shane O'Donoghue
July 18, 2011 -- Updated 1434 GMT (2234 HKT)
(CNN) -- Newly-crowned British Open champion Darren Clarke has described winning the tournament as a dream-come-true, and also admitted his path to success had been a difficult one.
Clarke, 42, carded a final round of 70 to finish five-under par, three shots clear of American Dustin Johnson, to claim the first major of his 21-year career.
The elation felt by the Northern Irishman in the wake of his triumph at Royal St. George's was in stark contrast to five years ago, when his wife Heather died after a battle with breast cancer.
"You almost wouldn't wish it on anybody," Clarke told CNN when asked to describe the sequence of events which led to his victory in golf's oldest major.
Veteran Clarke makes history with long-awaited British Open title
"It's weird. It's a game of give and take, it takes it away and it gives you it back. I've had a tough period of late, obviously, since Heather passed away. My boys were priority and they've now developed into two really good kids.
"Of that I am very proud, even more proud of that than I am being Open champion."
Clarke's success at the 140th staging of the historic tournament means he can look forward to participating in the event for years to come.
And the 14-time winner on the European Tour could even have one of his sons on his bag in years to come, with Tyrone, 12, and Conor, 10, both following their father into the sport.
"They both love playing their golf," Clarke said of his boys. "Both playing at Royal Portrush [a golf course in Northern Ireland] everyday and it is fantastic.
"For them to be able to say their Dad is Open champion is wonderful. If they do come back and caddy for me I probably won't pay them that much! But that would be a treat to be able to do that."
Clarke became the third Northern Irishman to secure one of golf's four majors in the last 13 months on Sunday, after his compatriots Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell won the U.S. Open in 2011 and 2010 respectively.
But despite his country's recent triumphs, Clarke believes the current upturn in form began with the Republic of Ireland's Padraig Harrington winning the British Open 2007 and then going on to retain his title and win the PGA Championship in 2008.
"It wasn't just GMac [McDowell] and Rory, it was Padraig. What he achieved, his major wins and the manner in which he achieved them, he kicked the ball rolling.
"There's no real reason for it, we're just producing talented players at the moment."
The new world number 30 also revealed he received congratulations from joint runner-up Phil Mickelson and also from 14-time major winner Tiger Woods -- who missed the championship with a knee injury.
"I had a couple of wonderful texts from Tiger last night. Phil came over and put his arm around me. He said: 'Enjoy every moment of it. You're a major champion, and they can never take that away from you.'
"It's respect from your peers, from the guys you're playing with week in, week out and trying to beat week in, week out. Things like that are really important."
Credit: CNN (www.cnn.com)
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